NFL players reveal which position Colorado's Travis Hunter should play at pro level

It remains unclear which position Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter should play in the pros, but NFL players think the answer is apparent. 

For a piece published Monday, New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton told The Athletic that "[Hunter's] ceiling as a corner is a lot more rare than his ceiling as a receiver." 

Fellow Giants WR Wan'Dale Robinson said Hunter's ball skills could make him an elite DB in the NFL. In 13 games in 2024, he had four interceptions and 11 passes defended. 

"I don't think you see DBs with his ball skills very much. There are probably three," Robinson said. "Like [Houston Texans DB Derek Stingley Jr.] has really good ball skills ... But I even think [Hunter] probably has better skills than him. [Hunter] is really unique, and especially having the perspective of a wideout and then going over to that side of the ball, I think would do him justice ... At DB, he would be one of one for sure." 

Scouts around the league seem to agree with Robinson and Slayton. An NFC executive recently told ESPN's Jeff Legwold that Hunter (6-foot-1,185 pounds) has some "rough edges" as a WR, even though he caught 15 touchdowns in his final season with the Buffaloes.

Per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Hunter has the option to work out with both DBs and WRs at the NFL Scouting Combine, which starts Thursday in Indianapolis. 

Teams, however, will probably dissuade him from playing both ways in the NFL full-time.

Per Pro Football Focus, the 2024 Heisman winner played on 1,552 snaps (776 defensive, 753 offensive and 23 special teams) in 2024. That rate seems unsustainable over the course of a 17-game NFL regular season. 

Hunter is a potential top-10 pick regardless of the position he chooses. In Tankathon's latest mock draft, the New England Patriots take him with pick No. 4. 

It would be best for Hunter to listen to NFL players and pick DB. They know what they're doing.