The Heisman Trophy case is hot and heavy, but the answer is easy for Deion Sanders.
Sure, the Colorado head coach might be a little biased, but he is currently going with the odds-on favorite in Travis Hunter.
“Travis gets my vote. Travis is the best player in college football,” Sanders said on Saturday’s edition of “Big Noon Kickoff,” which was broadcast at Texas Tech before their game against Sanders’ Colorado squad.
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Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes and Travis Hunter #12, of the Colorado Buffaloes, on the sideline during a game against North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field on August 29, 2024, in Boulder, Colorado. (Ric Tapia/Getty Images)
“Truly, [Deion’s son] Sheudeur [Sanders] is the catalyst, he makes everting go, but Travis Hunter is doing something we’ve never seen before.”
Sure, Coach Prime may just be hyping up his own guy, but he isn’t wrong. Hunter is elite on both sides of the ball and is quite literally the Shohei Ohtani of college football.
Many scouts project him to be a cornerback in the NFL; well, he has 60 receptions for 757 yards and eight touchdowns through eight games this season, already surpassing his totals from last year (he missed three games due to a lacerated spleen).
Sept. 28, 2024; Orlando, Florida: Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) scores a touchdown against the UCF Knights during the first quarter at FBC Mortgage Stadium. (Mike Watters-Imagn Images)
On top of that, his seven pass breakups lead the entire Big 12. He has two interceptions and 21 total tackles, 14 of which are solo.
With that combination of skill on offense and defense, it’s no wonder that mock drafts have him going early in the first round, possibly even inside the top five.
Other guys in the running include Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
There is certainly a case for each player. Gabriel is the man in charge of the No. 1-ranked team in the country, Ward’s 29 passing touchdowns leads all of FBS, and Jeanty is on pace to break Barry Sanders’ all-time single-season rushing record in college football.
Sept. 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado: Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) before the game against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field. (Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images)
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It will be a race to the finish, but it’s hard to blame Sanders for backing up his guy.
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