Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter is the favorite to take home the Heisman Trophy after a remarkable season in which he put up 1,152 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns on offense, and was the team's top cornerback on defense. Hunter is the first player in modern college football to play such a big role on both sides of the ball and excel at the two positions.
Hunter's college career is a remarkable achievement, but the Colorado star admits that winning the Heisman Trophy has never been a dream of his. During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast hosted by former ESPN's Ryan Clark, Hunter admitted that he has always thought more about becoming the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
"It definitely matters. I want to be No. 1," Hunter said, when asked whether he cares about where he goes in the draft. "That's the first thing I dreamed of. I ain't dream of winning the Heisman. I dreamed of being No. 1. Getting to that point, [if] I was able to be the No. 1 pick off the board, that's what I want to be."
Clark's co-host Fred Taylor, the Jacksonville Jaguars great, appreciated the answer, telling Hunter that he should start practicing his "DUVAL" chant in the event that the Jags secure that top pick and take him.
"It's O.K., I'll say it when I walk that stage and I'm picked by them. They ain't gotta worry about it," Hunter said, fighting through laughs in the room.
At 3–10, the Jaguars are now in line for the fifth pick, with the Las Vegas Raiders (2–11) sliding into the projected No. 1 spot. Unlike the Jaguars, the Raiders may be in line to take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick, with Hunter's teammate Shedeur Sanders often linked to the team. If they go in another direction, however, it would be hard for any team to turn down the opportunity to take a player who can be a difference maker on both sides of the ball.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Travis Hunter Shares His Football Dream, and It Isn't Winning the Heisman.
