Heisman winner Travis Hunter compares himself to Cam Ward amid race for No. 1 pick in 2025 NFL draft
Colorado's Travis Hunter is a unicorn professional football prospect. He can contribute on both sides of the ball for the team that takes him in this month's 2025 NFL draft. However, he understands that his ability isn't the lone determining factor for the team that owns the No. 1 pick in the draft.
While debating the top 3 NBA players ever on his podcast, Hunter tried to make a case for LeBron James over Michael Jordan, despite the latter having more accolades. To do so, Hunter weighed in on how teams are valuing him and his accolades as compared to Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who seems to be the front-runner at the top of the draft.
"Right now, with me and Cam Ward. Who they finna pick over me?" Hunter said. "Cam Ward. And who won the Heisman Trophy? Me. You think that (expletive) matter? That (expletive) don't matter. That don't mean a goddamn thing."
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The Athletic's Bruce Feldman had Ward being taken off the board first in his latest mock draft, posted Wednesday. In that same scenario, Travis Hunter doesn't go until No. 4 overall to the New England Patriots.
"Hunter is the best pure athlete in this draft," Feldman wrote. "He is a rare talent, an elite cornerback who doubles as a dynamic wideout with a gas tank like college football has never seen. Other special DBs like Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey have dabbled on offense.
"None have played as many snaps as Hunter or made as many big plays on that side of the ball and excelled deep into games after remarkably high snap counts."
Where does Travis Hunter want to be drafted?
Travis Hunter hasn't been shy about wanting to be the No. 1 overall choice in the 2025 NFL draft. His body of work speaks for itself, but he wants to add that honor to his list of accomplishments.
"No. 1 pick on that board," Hunter said on Cam Newton's podcast in February. "If it ain't the No. 1 pick, don't even call my phone. I done work too hard for this. ... My dream was to get to the NFL, but I knew one way I wanted to get there, and I wanted to be the No. 1 pick. I want everyone to be like, 'The first name they called was Travis Hunter.'
"I don't wanna be over there waiting."
However, this year's class of quarterbacks is shallow, with Ward and Hunter's Buffaloes teammate, Shedeur Sanders, as that group's headliners. A lot has been made about Sanders, as well, especially about whether he deserves to go so high.
Whoever gets Hunter will get one of the most well-rounded college football players in recent memory. He'll be a Day 1 contributor with the ability to become one of the NFL's brightest stars.