CONGRATULATIONS, TRAVIS HUNTER

 The Jacksonville Jaguars made a brilliant move picking Travis Hunter, Jr., Thursday, April 24, 2025  during the first round of the NFL Draft. Travis will add much to the Jaguars. 

Congratulations, Travis. I have watched this young man as he developed with the Jackson State Tigers and the University of Colorado Buffaloes. Last year (2024) was mind-blowing. He can play both offense (as a Wide Receiver) and defense (as a Cornerback) effectively. Only a few players can do that.

In fact, Hunter is in a rarified stratosphere of NCAA football players. Not only did he win the Heisman Trophy for 2024, he also won the Chuck Bednarik Award (for the top defensive player), the Fred Biletnikoff Award (for the top wide receiver), and the Walter Camp Award (one of two awards for Player of the Year). Hunter is the first NCAA football player to win all four in the same year. 

OTHER AWARDS Hunter received in 2024 or as indicated: 

* Paul Hornung (2023, 2024)

* Walter Camp

* AP College Player of the Year

* Lott IMPACT Trophy

* Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year

* College Football All-America  Team (2023 by consensus, 2024 unanimous) 

Hunter was born on May 18, 2003 in West Palm Beach, Florida. His family moved to Atlanta, GA when he was an eighth grader. He played high school football with the Collins Hill Eagles in Suwanee, Georgia, living there with an assistant coach, Frontia Fountain, who started Hunter on his WR/CB journey. In his Junior year, he earned the MaxPreps  Georgia Player of the Year award. He had a 5-star rating as a high school player and was ranked as the No. 1 national pick during his Senior year. Originally planning to sign with Florida State  University, he switched to Jackson State University on National Signing Day (2022).

Hunter spent one year with the Jackson State Tigers. When Jackson State's Head Coach Deion Sanders joined the CU Buffs as Head Coast, Hunter made the transfer to CU, too, in 2022.

Besides the transition from college  to professional football, 2025 will be transformative for Hunter personally. He and "his high school sweetheart,  Leanna Lenee," are getting married in May. That plus a cross-country move from Boulder, Colorado to Northeast Florida will make the time until Training Camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars fly by. Congratulations &  Best Wishes. God bless you both.

Sources:

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/travis-hunter-wins-3-major-awards-ahead-of-heisman-trophy/

Viewed on April 25, 2025

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/travis-hunter-wins-3-major-awards-ahead-of-heisman-trophy/

Viewed on April 25, 2025

https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2025-04-24/travis-hunter-college-football-career-stats-highlights-records

Viewed on April 25, 2025

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Hunter

Viewed on April 25, 2025