Travis Hunter is one of the most talented player to enter the NFL draft in the last two decades. The Colorado Buffaloes superstar won the Heisman Trophy in 2024 while excelling at both cornerback and wide receiver. Now he's about to start his NFL journey, the only question is where he'll be playing.
We canvassed the NFL mock draft landscape and a consensus has emerged for which team will be selecting Hunter on the evening of April 24. What follows is a look at where some of the top NFL draft experts have Hunter going. As you'll see, they're all on the same page.
Connor Orr, Sports Illustrated
Projected Draft Position: No. 2 pick, Cleveland Browns
"We’ve now heard Browns GM Andrew Berry use the Shohei Ohtani comp on Hunter, and while I hate to immediately assume that Cleveland’s baseball influence will warm that front office to Hunter and the breadth of possibilities more than another team, the Browns need something to clear the taste of Deshaun Watson out of the mouths of its fan base. Abdul Carter may take more immediate pressure off the team and help lengthen Myles Garrett’s prime, but I wonder if Cleveland sees him as a little too slender to hang in the AFC North," Orr said.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN
Projected Draft Position: No. 2 pick, Cleveland Browns
"Cleveland lacks playmakers, and it would get one on both sides of the ball in Hunter. I'd play him primarily on offense, where his speed, ball skills and instincts helped him to 1,258 yards last season. But the Browns could also sprinkle him in at corner, especially in high-stakes parts of the game. Hunter has been my No. 1 prospect through the whole draft cycle and has the chance to be special in the pros," Kiper said.
Dane Brugler, The Athletic
Projected Draft Position: No. 2, Cleveland Browns
"The Browns are desperate to get the quarterback position right, although I don’t expect them to force the pick. With the best player in the draft still available, it makes sense that the choice here would be Hunter, who could provide a spark on offense (and defense)," Brugler said.
Ryan Wilson, CBS
Projected Draft Position: No. 2 pick, Cleveland Browns
"It was close between Shedeur Sanders and Hunter here but the Browns aren't a QB away from contending, and Hunter is a 2-for-1 elite player who will excel on both sides of the ball," Wilson said.
Chat Reuter, NFL.com
Projected Draft Position: No. 2 pick, Cleveland Browns
"Hunter is going to be a special player. He's the best cornerback and receiver in the draft class and should have his wish of playing both ways fulfilled, even if it doesn't happen full-time. The Browns need a big-play receiver alongside Jerry Jeudy, who finished with more than twice as many receiving yards (1,229) as the next closest player on the team. Hunter could also line up across from Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward at times to limit options for opposing quarterbacks," Reuter said.
Jordan Reid, ESPN
Projected Draft Position: No. 2 pick, Cleveland Browns
"A strong argument could be made that Hunter is not only the best player in this draft, but also the best two-way prospect in modern NFL history. Browns general manager Andrew Berry said at the combine that they view Hunter as a ‘receiver primarily first,’ but I would personally start him on defense full-time and build in an offensive package of 15 to 20 plays," Reid said.
Chris Trapasso, CBS
Projected Draft Position: No. 2 pick, Cleveland Browns
"Hunter is probably the best overall player in this class. He has the exceptionally rare two-way ability with All-Pro upside at each spot," Trapasso said.
Eric Edholm, NFL.com
Projected Draft Position: No. 2 pick, Cleveland Browns
"I won't say Hunter's completely bust-proof, but it's hard to imagine the Heisman Trophy winner not helping out in a major way, either at receiver or corner—or, as he prefers, at both spots," Edholm said.
More NFL Draft on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Travis Hunter NFL Draft Destinations: Where Experts Are Saying the Two-Way Star Will Be Picked.
