5 best two-way college football players of all time feat. Travis Hunter, Charles Woodson and more
Travis Hunter has been among the premier players in college football since joining the Jackson State Tigers as a five-star prospect – and the top-ranked overall recruit – in the 2022 recruiting class. The two-way star followed Deion Sanders to the Colorado Buffaloes via the transfer portal after just one season and has thrived at the FBS level.
Hunter continued to take home hardware on Saturday as he won the Heisman Trophy, his seventh award of the 2024 season. He also won the Paul Hornung Award, the Lott Impact Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Fred Biletnikoff Award, Walter Camp Award and AP National Player of the Year, making him the most awarded player in a season in college football history.
Following the Buffaloes star's incredible two-way season, let's take a look at the five best two-way stars in college football history.
Five best two-way college football players of all time
#1 Travis Hunter
Travis Hunter became the second two-way star to win the Heisman Trophy. In fact, Hunter and Charles Woodson are the only players who have won the prestigious award while playing a signficant amount of snaps on defense.
Hunter finished the 2024 season with 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, adding one rushing touchdown. On the defensive side of the ball, teams hardly targeted his side of the field.
Hunter recorded 32 total tackles, 21 of which were solo tackles, one tackle for loss, four interceptions, one game-winning forced fumble and 11 passes defended.
#2 Charles Woodson
Woodson spent nearly 30 years as the only two-way star to win the Heisman Trophy. In his award-winning 1997 season, he recorded 44 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, eight interceptions and nine passes defended for national champion Michigan Wolverines.
Offensively, Woodson hauled in 12 receptions for 238 yards and two touchdowns as well as five carries for 21 yards and one touchdown. He also returned 36 punts for 301 yards and one touchdown.
#3 Dick Butkus
While Dick Butkus didn't win the Heisman Trophy, he finished sixth in 1963 and third in 1964.
The two-time All-American played both center and linebacker with the Illinois Fighting Illini. While his full stats aren't available, he recorded 374 tackles in his three seasons with the program, including 145 tackles in 1963.
#4 Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe's collegiate career took place before the inception of the Heisman Trophy. The three-time All-American starred at defensive back, running back, kicker and punter for the Carlisle Indians.
While his stats aren't available, Thorpe is considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, as he also starred in baseball, track and field, lacrosse and ballroom dancing.
#5 Bronko Nagurski
Bronko Nagurski is yet another two-way college football star who's career preceded the Heisman Trophy.
His stats from his tenure with the Minnesota Golden Gophers are also not available, but he starred at defensive tackle and fullback. He was a consensus All-American in 1929 and earned recognition at both positions.