Getty Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos.
The Denver Broncos are a prime destination for Heisman Trophy hopeful and potential No. 1 overall pick, Colorado Buffaloes cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter. He could complement Courtland Sutton or Pat Surtain II, who has praised Hunter.
Whether or not they get the chance to make him a Bronco is an entirely different issue.
Still, the two-way collegiate star gave a very telling reason for his “wish” to remain in-state whenever his name is called in the NFL draft. The key is location.
“I wish I could go to the Broncos just to stay in Colorado because so much people just welcomed us with open arms, and they showed us love that we would never have gotten in a different spot,” Hunter told the hosts of the “Kickin’ It with Dee” podcast in an episode published on October 3.
TRAVIS HUNTER HAT TRICK
3 TD’S ON THE NIGHT
Hunter was the No. 2 recruit in the nation coming out of high school. He snapped a 15-year drought, flipping from committing to Florida State to star at Jackson State, an FCS-level School. He followed Buffaloes head coach and NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders from JSU to Colorado.
Travis Hunter Wants to ‘Impact’ Community
GettyTravis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes.
The 21-year-old native of West Palm Beach Florida explained his affinity for his current home and the people around him.
“My neighbors, they know my car in the neighborhood. So, man, they come over there. But like before every game, or before every time we leave and go to the team hotel, they have a sign in front of my truck,” Hunter said. “And they say, ‘He’s everywhere,’ ‘He’s him,’ ‘Heisman to Him.’ They switch it up every game, so I get to see that. That’s cool. And then I get the little kids in the neighborhood to come over and want me to sign stuff.
“That’s cool because I want to leave an impact on this community over here. They took us in with open arms. So the fan base here is pretty good. It’s probably one of the best. … You go out there for pregame, it’s only like 100, 130 people out there. But when it’s game time, it’s fully packed. So they show a lot of love man which I like.”
Hunter says his neighbors also “help me out a lot,” including pet sitting when he is away.
“Sometimes I go to away games, I need somebody to watch my dog. I feel comfortable I can go to my neighbors, and they’ll be like, ‘Yeah, we’ll watch him for you.’ So they watch. They watch out for my house, they watch out for everything that’s going around over here because they know how much I mean to the city and how much I mean to the state. So I never feel uncomfortable or not safe.”
Hunter’s aspirations offer a reality check for the Broncos, though.
Travis Hunter Could Be Out of Broncos’ Range in NFL Draft
GettyGeneral manager George Paton of the Denver Broncos.
“I want to be the first pick,” Hunter said. “I never dreamed of it until a couple years ago when I know I had a chance yeah to become the first pick. So that has been my main goal. I want to just be the first pick. I don’t care where it’s at. Just get me there.”
Hunter is Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 prospect as of October 4.
The Broncos, at 2-2, would pick No. 18 overall, per Tankathon. The Broncos still have 15 games on the schedule, though. They could find themselves in range for Hunter by the end of the season.
Comments
Heisman Trophy Hopeful Shares ‘Wish’ to Land With Broncos in Draft