Travis Hunter's Family Gets Candid on Journey of Potential Heisman Trophy Winner

"In order for you to have something, you got to actually see it," Harris told ESPN. "So I knew that this was just us passing through, and that was something that we had to go through. We went through it. We endured it, but it also made us stronger. 

"Not just one of us, but all of us. Sometimes the tests and the trials that you go through can make you stronger, make you wiser, and make you that much hungrier."

Hunter and his fiancee Leanna Lenee were able to surprise his mother with a new home thanks to the star's sizable NIL earnings. 

While not technically related, Hunter also views Colorado head coach Deion Sanders as a father figure. 

"He's like a father figure to me," Hunter said during an Oct. 8 interview on "The Richard Sherman Podcast."

Hunter's grandmother Shirley Hunter described the Buffs star as "different" even from a young age. Now, the family will be watching Hunter transition from playing on Saturdays to Sundays as one of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL draft. 

"Everything about him was different," Hunter's grandma explained to ESPN. "His demeanor was different. When he was playing little league football and they'd take him off the field, he'd get upset. He wasn't like the other kids."

Hunter will be surrounded by his grandmother and other family members at the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York City, N.Y. The star's dedication to playing both cornerback and receiver has Hunter as a massive favorite to hoist the Heisman Trophy.