Travis Hunter threatens to leave football if restricted: “it’s what makes him a bit of a unicorn”

There’s no real blueprint for Travis Hunter. You could try calling him a wide receiver. Or a cornerback. Or a freak athlete. But if you try calling him just one of those things, he says he’s out. As in, out of football entirely.

No limits for Travis Hunter

The 21-year-old Colorado star – and likely top-five pick in this month’s NFL Draft – told CBS Sports he’d rather walk away from the game than be told to pick a lane. “It’s never playing football again,” Hunter said. “I’ve been doing it my whole life… I could dominate on each side of the ball.”

It could just be some off-season bravado but Hunter’s numbers back it up. He didn’t just play both sides of the ball in 2024 – he dominated them. In a year when most players fought to stay on the field for 60 snaps, Hunter averaged 111 snaps per game. He played 713 snaps on offense, 748 on defense, and did it all while missing nearly five games to injury. He still led the entire FBS in snaps for the second straight season.

On offense, he posted 153 catches, 1,979 yards, and 20 touchdowns over two seasons. On defense? Seven picks, 16 pass breakups, and a forced fumble. In 2024, he became the only FBS player since 1978 to hit 1,000 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in a single season. That kind of resume got him a Heisman Trophy, the Biletnikoff and Bednarik awards, and the Paul Hornung Award – for the second year in a row – as the most versatile player in college football.

So what happens if an NFL team says no?

The warning is loud and clear: don’t draft him unless you’re ready to use him fully. Hunter’s not threatening to hold out or demand a trade. He says he’d just walk away. “I got a competitive spirit that I can do whatever I put my mind to,” he said. “And I feel like I can do it.”

He’s met with several teams ahead of the draft and so far, no one’s asked him to pick just one role. Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry, whose team picks No. 2, seemed all-in: “Cornerback or receiver? The answer is yes,” Berry said. “What makes him a bit of a unicorn is the fact that he can do it at a high level.”

Even the Tennessee Titans, who pick No. 1, are intrigued — though they reportedly see him as more developed at cornerback.

Hunter’s response to the speculation? Calm. Matter-of-fact. “It’s not up to me,” he said. “When they call my name… then we’ll figure that out.”

A test of NFL conservatism

The NFL has always loved labels. Slot guy. Edge rusher. Shutdown corner. Hunter doesn’t fit into any of them — and that’s the problem. For teams obsessed with control, it’ll be a risk. He’s made it clear: limit him, and he’s gone.

But for a league that prides itself on evolution, creativity, and the mythical “positionless” athlete? Here’s one ready-made. And he’s got the stats to back it all up.

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