Four weeks into the college football season, not much is clear: the best teams aren't standing out from the rest, the world's elite teams are struggling with quarterback injuries and uncertainty, and, at least for now, the transfer portal is keeping things in the balance.
But one thing is clear: The best talent in college football is located in Boulder, Colorado.
Colorado Buffaloes Cornerback/wide receiver/dynamo Travis Hunter is something the college football world hasn't seen in a long time. He's a top-tier receiver, but he's also one of the shutdown corners in the game. He leads the team in receiving yards and also leads the team in interceptions. Dodgers At this stage in their respective careers, it's a bit of a stretch to expect Hunter to be on the same level as Shohei Ohtani, a power hitter/pitcher, and Hunter certainly can be at the next level, but let's just sit back and evaluate just how good Hunter has been through four games and why he could be a Heisman Trophy winner this season.
As a receiver alone, Travis Hunter is putting up some of the most impressive numbers of any receiver in the nation this year. He's sixth in the nation in receiving yards, tied for third in receiving touchdowns and fifth in positive play rate among players with 20 or more targets. Hunter is also putting up these numbers while ranking fourth in targets and first in routes through four games. He's producing at a very high level and also being on the field a lot.
Now we can add his statistics as a defensive back only, which was more difficult because he hasn't been thrown many passes. Of all players that Sports Information Solutions can track, he is tied for the fewest targets with 11. By comparison, Colorado receiver Preston Hodge has been targeted 23 times, 11th most in the country. When Hunter has been targeted, he has allowed only eight catches for 57 yards and none of the touchdowns in four games. He has also never been flagged for pass interference and has deflected two passes. It's fair to say Hunter has gotten better, being more consistent in coverage and not panicking when the ball is thrown over his head.
He remains one of the most impressive players in the country when the ball is in the air: If the ball is near him, whether it's a receiver or a defensive back, he's going to go for it.
Hunter played in Colorado's overtime win over Baylor University. Every snap Defensively, Hunter played 81 of his 92 snaps on offense. Oh, and Hunter led the team in receptions and yards against Baylor despite not being targeted as a defensive back. He was the fulcrum of the Buffaloes' offense while simultaneously locking down half the field defensively. That's an incredible level of accomplishment, the stuff of college football legend.
Hunter should have a flight booked to New York for the Heisman ceremony. The only things standing in his way are his position and Colorado's end-of-season record. The Buffaloes had a disastrous fall at the end of last season and will face an incredibly tough Big 12 this year. After losing one game to Nebraska, Colorado can't afford to lose any more games to keep Hunter alive in the Heisman race. LSU Last year, quarterback Jayden Daniels won the award, and LSU lost three games last season. But Daniels is a quarterback and Hunter is a cornerback and receiver. In a losing game, signal callers are given more leeway than skill position players, so the margin of error for both Colorado and Hunter is extremely low. Plus, there are other candidates, such as Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Miami quarterback Cameron Ward, so the road to the trophy won't be easy.
But Travis Hunter's game in college football is never easy. It's not easy to play nearly every game. Hunter does it with ease, which is why he should be an early season Heisman Trophy winner.
