The legacy of Travis Hunter at the University of Colorado officially became NFL lore on Thursday night. The Jacksonville Jaguars selected the Buffaloes’ two-way phenom with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, cementing his place among the greatest prospects in football history.

With the selection, Hunter becomes the highest-drafted cornerback and the second-highest drafted wide receiver in NFL history, a staggering testament to his rare versatility. He now shares the title of highest draft pick in Colorado Buffaloes history with Bo Matthews, who was also taken second overall by the San Diego Chargers in 1974.

“Give people their flowers while they can enjoy ’em and smell ’em,” Hunter’s college coach, Deion Sanders, said earlier this week. “Travis is generational. Now the world sees it.”

Hunter is only the fourth top-five draft pick in CU history, joining Matthews, Byron “Whizzer” White (No. 4 in 1938), and Michael Westbrook (No. 4 in 1995). His selection marks a new era for the Jaguars and solidifies Hunter’s status as the most accomplished player to ever come out of Boulder.

A College Resume Like No Other

Hunter’s junior season was nothing short of legendary. He became the most decorated player in college football history by capturing the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, AP and Sporting News Player of the Year honors, and repeating as the Paul Hornung Award winner for the nation’s most versatile player. He added the Bednarik Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy, and the Biletnikoff Award, all while earning unanimous first-team All-American honors. He was also the first player ever to receive two first-team selections on the prestigious Walter Camp All-America team.

Hunter’s dominance wasn’t limited to the field. A model student-athlete, he was named Academic All-American of the Year by College Sports Communicators, only the second Buff ever to receive that distinction. He was also a two-time member of Colorado’s 4.0 GPA Club.

Dual-Threat Dynamo

In 2024 alone, Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, setting the CU record for most receiving touchdowns in a season. He led the team in scoring with 96 points, notching 16 total touchdowns, including one rushing. Defensively, he recorded 36 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 pass breakups, all while playing a nation-leading 1,483 snaps, spending over 80% of the time on both sides of the ball. According to Pro Football Focus, he earned an 89.7 grade at receiver, the highest among Power 4 players with 500+ snaps, and also graded out over 90 in coverage as a cornerback.

In just two seasons at Colorado, Hunter finished with 153 receptions for 1,989 yards and 20 touchdowns, along with 67 tackles, seven interceptions, and 16 pass breakups on defense. He played 2,625 total snaps, despite missing nearly five games due to injury.

CU’s Draft Day Milestone

Hunter is the 25th first-round draft pick in Colorado history and the 33rd player from CU drafted in the top 32. He is also the highest-drafted wide receiver and cornerback in program history, topping Westbrook (No. 4, 1995) and Mark Haynes (No. 8, 1980), respectively.

He becomes just the third first-round cornerback out of CU, joining Deon Figures (No. 23, 1993) and Jimmy Smith(No. 27, 2011), and the fourth wide receiver, alongside Westbrook, Mike Pritchard (No. 13, 1991), and Rae Carruth (No. 27, 1997).

This year’s selection also makes Hunter the third player ever drafted by Jacksonville from Colorado, following wide receiver Laviska Shenault (2020) and cornerback Chris Hudson (1995).

A Blueprint for Greatness

The Jaguars are adding a franchise-altering talent. Whether it’s lining up against elite NFL receivers or torching cornerbacks on offense, Hunter’s impact projects to be immediate and profound. More than a dual-threat, Travis Hunter is a culture-changer—both for Jacksonville and the game at large.

“I’m excited. I’m happy,” Sanders said. “Because I know God has ordained this. He’s setting the stage.”

And now, the stage belongs to Travis Hunter.