For only scratching the surface of his athletic career, Travis Hunter has shown himself to be one of the most athletic, versatile, and explosive football prospects in recent decades. The 6’1″, 165 pound cornerback out of Suwannee, Georgia is a major dual threat, simultaneously maintaining a 5 star rating as not only a defensive back, but also a receiver for the Collins Hill Eagles. With the stat lines to back it up, Hunter secured a spot as the number one high school recruit in the nation, and was heavily sought after by a plethora of accomplished college programs. As a result, his secondary athletic training is sure to be of the highest standard, pointing to an athletic potential of great rarity. It is for his inherent skill and prospective college training that Travis Hunter is the April 2022 Unfinished Athlete of the Month.
Play Style and Skillset
As a cornerback for the Eagles, Hunter has shown to have a phenomenal football IQ. Specifically, his ability to track the ball and move his feet accordingly in a minuscule amount of time has been the recipient of praise from college recruiting personnel and head coaches alike. Called “one of the hottest players” in recent draft classes by former high school and professional stars Patrick Peterson and Bryan McFadden themselves, Hunter has made a name for himself through the viral videos of his incredible abilities. The video below is just one of the many videos out there that showcase the freak athleticism Hunter possesses.
As a receiver, Hunter is a frequent member of the SportsCenter top 10, as the majority of his viral videos are of his unbelievable grabs, whether it be in 7 on 7 games or in high school state championships. Although viewed by coaches as a cornerback long term, the skill player has still put on an impressive outing on the offensive side of the ball throughout his high school career. In the 9 games he played in 2021 (out for 5 games due to an ankle injury), he has 76 receptions for 1,128 and 10 touchdowns, averaging over 125 yards in just one game.
In these same games, he gathered over 20 tackles and 5 turnovers on defense, clearly showing an impressive stamina as maintaining a ranking as the number one cornerback and wide receiver in all of high school football requires an enormous amount of physical exertion in each game. However, his work as a wide receiver has been said to have benefitted his ability as a cornerback even further, as his versatility has gifted Hunter an enhanced understanding of technique and route-running.
Accolades and Accomplishments
Due to his proficiency on the field, the number one high school football prospect has earned an estimable reputation. Firstly, as a sophomore, Hunter led the country in interceptions with 7, and was a true dual-threat for the Eagles offense. In his junior year, he earned the MaxPreps Georgia Player of the Year Honors Award through his near 2000 yard season as a receiver, and led his team to the 7A state championship.
With these same statistics, he also broke Gwinnett County football records for receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. As a senior, he led his team once again to the state championship, and despite missing 5 games due to his ankle injury, still obtained over 1000 receiving yards and spurred the first state championship win in Collins Hill’s history. In addition, Hunter has gathered multiple All-America Team selections, and broke the state record for receiving touchdowns, set previously by Braxton Hicks, with 48.
The Future of Travis Hunter
Deion Sanders is CHANGING THE GAME forever.. the number 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter has committed to Jackson State#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/KY4kMIq3ck
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 15, 2021
On March 3 in 2020, Travis Hunter decided that he would be playing collegiate football with the Florida State Seminoles. Well, that was until a certain NFL legend became invested into Hunter’s future. Primetime, Deion Sanders, one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play the game; he invited Travis Hunter to watch the “Soul Bowl” at Jackson State University. Only a month after, Hunter decommitted from Florida State and instead decided to take his talent to the Jackson State Tigers. At Jackson State, he would be under the direction and wisdom of Coach Prime.
The gravity of this move was no joke. ESPN recruiting expert Tom Luginbill called the decision “monumental and historic” for the sport entirely. This further proved the immense potential shown in Hunter’s game. With his choice, Hunter became the first five-star recruit to ever sign with a HBCU or an FCS program. Not to mention that, not only is he a 5 star, but also the number one recruit in the nation. It is clear that the JSU commit is confident that the coaching of JSU’s program is his best path to the league, however, Hunter has also expressed his commitment to JSU as a HBCU itself. As he says, HBCU’s have a “rich history in football. I want to be a part of that history, and more, I want to be a part of that future.” With his determined mindset, there’s no doubt that Travis Hunter’s career has so much left in store for him, giving him the label of Unfinished.
