There are talents, and then there are generational talents. Just like his head coach, Deion Sanders, Travis Hunter falls in the latter category. A rare species that graces us with its presence once in a blue moon. You can’t help but be overwhelmed by its sight. That’s what Hunter did in college football. Wide receiver? Check. Lockdown corner? Check. Game-winning plays on both sides of the ball? Check. However, every sport has its own share of generational talents. Shohei Ohtani effortlessly carries the tag in baseball.
The two worlds collided when Travis Hunter talked about Shohei Ohtani some weeks ago. Unfortunately, the comment or the hot take continues to dominate the conversation around him. Hunter lit the flame, and he has not been able to live it down ever since. Just like Hunter, Ohtani does well both as a pitcher and a designated hitter. The extremely decorated former Colorado CB and WR was asked at the NFL Combine who among the two was better because of their unique qualities. Hunter chose himself.
“Probably… what I do in football.” He added, “Because it’s a lot on your body. You know Ohtani, he’s a great player but you gotta do a lot in football.” And so began the fire. It’s done little to dent his NFL prospects, but that doesn’t mean the controversy has died down. Because Ohtani is just as decorated as Hunter.
Hunter comes with a Heisman win in 2025, along with other such big-name honors. Ohtani, on the other hand, has won 3 MLB MVP awards—one of them being national. MLB Insider Jeff Passan, appearing for Barstool Sports, picked the Dodgers star easily.
Upon being asked the same question, Passan said, “Shohei Ohtani, because he has done it at the big league level.” Then, he explained where Hunter would excel. “To be clear, Travis Hunter absolutely should play cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL, 100%. If you have the ability to have a guy out there who can impact both sides of the ball, why would you limit him from doing so, particularly if he’s on a rookie contract, which is short enough.”
Then, Passan got to the comparison. “But Ohtani being elite at both levels, at the highest level of baseball. If Travis Hunter can be an all-pro cornerback and an all-pro wide receiver in the same season, get back to me, and we’ll have a conversation.” He reiterated his appreciation for the Colorado fame. “And I am not minimizing in any way. He’s awesome. I love watching him play. But it’s just a matter of levels, I think.”
A host then countered amusingly, “Ohtani doesn’t tackle anybody. And Ohtani has never won a Heisman.” “Both true,” Passan replied. He also retorted cleverly, “Hunter’s never won an MVP, and I’d like to see him hit a 95-mile-per-hour fastball or throw a ball 95.”
As the debate between Hunter and Ohtani continues to take more narratives and angles, there’s also the question of the former’s NFL fate. Which team will pick this Deion Sanders prodigy, and how will Hunter benefit them? With less than a month to go before this draft begins, an analyst predicts who he could go to and what Hunter would bring to the table for them.
Where Travis Hunter could go, and why
It is rumored and expected by analysts that Hunter will probably go to the New England Patriots. NFL analyst Matt Miller thinks his unique ability to thrive on either side of the team is what makes him the ultimate trump card. The Playoffs quoted him making the following observation. “They (Patriots) have some young receivers now, they have some veterans, but I think this is an ideal Travis Hunter team. He could play some wide receiver, he could play some corner. They do have need in both spots.”
Miller further said, “I don’t know that Vrabel could look at a football player like Travis Hunter and say ‘Nah.’ I know they need a left tackle but how can you say no to someone who loves football as much as Travis Hunter does. The football IQ that Travis Hunter has, and oh by the way, has some of the best instincts and reaction for ball skill we’ve seen coming out of the college game in a long time.” He further went on to say that Hunter might just be a combination of Odell Beckham Jr. and Denzel Ward. Those are some high praises for the young talent.
There’s no one questioning Hunter’s skill. He finished 2024 with 1,152 passing yards, 14 TDs, 21 solo and 11 assisted tackles, and a forced fumble. The Heisman tag also adds more weight to his already commanding star factor. But we’ve got to give it to Ohtani, too, because he’s a phenomenon in the MLB. Hunter is yet to begin his pro career, and who knows, maybe he’d be as big a superstar as his MLB contemporary with the Patriots.
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