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Travis Hunter's NFL Draft Stock Takes a Fall in Latest Projection

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nathan Dougherty | Last updated Dec 19, 2024 12:49 AM ET

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter just took home the Heisman Trophy, but could still see his NFL Draft stock take a hit as a teammate continues to rise up the board.

The cornerback and wide receiver was pegged as the No. 1 overall pick in a November NFL mock draft from The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner, who called Hunter "the best college football player in America, period."

Baumgardner predicted at the time that Hunter's unique talents would make him a strong first-overall pick, projecting him as the first college prospect off the board.

"Hunter is absolutely the top cornerback and has an argument as WR1," Baumgardner wrote. "People talk about generational ability a lot, but Hunter actually has it. We haven’t seen a WR selected this high since Keyshawn Johnson, and we’ve never seen a CB here. We’ve also never seen a Travis Hunter before."

But Baumgardner has changed his tone slightly in a new NFL mock draft published on Dec. 18. He projected Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the No. 1 overall pick, with two more players taken before Hunter is selected at No. 4.

The reporter predicted that Hunter would be taken by the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he would slide in as a wide receiver and new weapon for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

"Hunter, the best player in the draft, would be outstanding value at No. 4 for whoever the coach is in Jacksonville next season," Baumgardner wrote. "Only the Raiders have more draft capital than the Jaguars, so this franchise will have a real opportunity to improve come spring."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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