Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter is probably the favorite for the Heisman Trophy.

The wide receiver/defensive back is the Shohei Ohtani of college football, a phenomenon never seen in modern college football. Hunter not only plays the role of wide receiver and defensive back, he is characterized by at both positions. He is an elite player as a pass catcher and in defending opposing receivers.

And to top it all off, the 21-year-old doesn’t take any breaks – he plays entire games on both sides of the football. In the Buffaloes’ win over their main rival, the Colorado State Rams, last week, Hunter played 123 of 138 possible snaps. He’s averaging 129 snaps per game, which is obviously more than any other player in college football.

Although it is clear that the young star will be selected in the first round of the draft – and probably even in the top 10 – if he declares for the 2025 NFL Draft, he shows no preference for a specific position at the time of his entry into the draft. In fact, he wants to continue playing both positions if he plays in the NFL.

“My goal is to continue to be a player that plays both ways,” Hunter said in a one-on-one interview. “If given the opportunity, I would strive to continue to make an impact on both sides of the field and help my team where they need me most. One of my greatest strengths is my versatility as a player, and I love the challenge of learning and excelling in both roles and pushing my limits.”

If Hunter continues to play both positions and excel at an elite level, he would be the first NFL player in modern times to do so. His head coach, Deion Sanders, played both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL and had a prominent season as a wide receiver with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1996 season. However, Sanders excelled as a cornerback at an elite level and not as a wide receiver. Hunter already does that at the college level and could do it at the professional level as well.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound star ranks second in the nation with 10 passes caught per game, ninth in receiving yards with 114 yards per game and second in touchdown catches with five.

Hunter explains how he manages to maintain his conditioning to play a complete game on both offense and defense.

“My training this season has focused on total body strength and conditioning,” says Hunter. “I’ve been working a lot with the battle ropes to improve my endurance and power. For the positions I play, increasing my speed and agility have been big goals that I’ve kept in mind to make sure I’m performing at my peak every week.”

Hunter is clearly outstanding on the field, but he is also successful off the field. It’s no secret that Hunter is one of the highest-earning college athletes on his NIL contracts, ranking third among all college football players with a NIL value of $2.3 million.

Hunter launches a first-of-its-kind NIL partnership with NerdWallet that requires athletes to commit to a smart money action and publicly disclose the terms of the contract for accountability – NerdWallet calls this the “Smartest NIL Deal Ever.”

The star explains exactly what this means with the two stars in view of his partnership with the private finance company, which also happens to be a partner of the University of Colorado.

“They offered me the smartest NIL deal ever and I loved how unique this deal was,” explains Hunter. “It’s different from other deals because it puts my financial future first. NerdWallet empowers people to make smart money decisions and with this deal I feel like I’m in control. I’ve committed to putting 20% ​​of my income into a savings account to plan for my future. I think deals like this are game-changers for college athletes like me because they teach us to think ahead and prepare for financial success.”

The partnership also includes a one-time chance for consumers to win a unique NIL deal card with Hunter, featuring part of the deal. The chance to win the card can be earned by commenting on Hunter’s Instagram post and tagging a friend starting Friday.

“I’ve collaborated with NerdWallet to create a NerdWallet x Travis Hunter 1 of 1 Smartest NIL Deal Card – an original, signed card that includes part of the deal,” says Hunter. “I’m really excited to give it away.”

Hunter will look to continue his strong start to the season when the Buffaloes host the Baylor Bears in their Big 12 Conference opener on Saturday, just one week after Hunter’s gigantic Performance with 13 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns while receiving passes, along with five tackles and an interception. It was Hunter’s first interception since September 2, 2023, in their season opener.

“To have that opening and to help our team win is a great feeling,” Hunter said. “It’s a reminder of what we can accomplish as a team when we come together and support and protect each other on and off the field.”

The Buffaloes also put on a dominant performance against their biggest rival, winning 28-9. That victory came just days after CSU quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi badmouthed Colorado in an interview, referring to the Rams’ near-win against the Buffaloes last season.

Hunter does not hide his satisfaction at the victory over his rivals from his own state.

“It was very important to win this game against Colorado State,” said Hunter. “The anticipation was high and our team worked hard and focused meticulously on our drills and plays. I’m really proud of our team’s performance. We got into the game quickly and played hard to effectively execute our game plan from the start. It was an incredible feeling to see all of our efforts come together to secure the win.”