Getty Travis Hunter practicing
The Washington Commanders will be tasked with changing their culture in the 2024-25 season, looking to improve upon their 4-13 record from last year. With Dan Quinn, Jayden Daniels, Austin Ekeler, and others, they have an opportunity to do so.
However, the Commanders are still far away from being contenders in the NFC East, which isn’t exactly the worst thing. The Commanders could land another high draft pick, helping them add another player who could make an impact for them in the future.
That was the case in Bleacher Report’s mock draft from Brent Sobleski. Sobleski has the Commanders selecting Travis Hunter out of Colorado with the No. 9 pick.
“Colorado’s Travis Hunter may not be the first cornerback off the board, with Michigan’s Will Johnson and Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison possibly in the same class,” Sobleski wrote on July 19. “Hunter could be the first cornerback selected and still not technically be depending on how an organization projects him at the next level. Some may view him as a wide receiver prospect. In this instance, the Washington Commanders can use him both ways, though primarily on defense.
“Benjamin St-Juste is set to be a free agent after this season. Hunter can pair with Emmanuel Forbes and give head coach Dan Quinn a play-making duo in his secondary, as he had when he was the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. Plus, the Commanders gain the added of benefit of using Hunter in some offensive sub-packages to complement Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.”
Deion Sanders Says Hunter Won’t Play for Certain Teams
Hunter and his Colorado team have been at the center of attention since Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders, and Hunter came over from Jackson State.
While they had a disappointing first year as a whole, Sanders and Hunter were two of the top players in college football. Both are expected to be top 10 picks, as Sanders went No. 4 to the Las Vegas Raiders in Sobleski’s mock.
However, Sanders, an all-time NFL great, said that his son and Hunter wouldn’t go to certain cities in an appearance on ‘Million Dollaz Worth of Game,” which poses some questions about their futures.
“All this is subjective because I know where I kind of want them to go,” Sanders said in March. “And let’s not forget Shilo. But I know where I want them to go. There’s certain cities where it ain’t going to happen. …It’s going to be an Eli [Manning].”
The Washington Commanders are a storied franchise, so perhaps that interests him and Hunter. The Hall of Famer spent one season with Washington, appearing in 16 games for the franchise in 2000.
Hunter Is Dominant on Both Sides of the Football
Hunter is a star on both sides of the football field. He’s played wide receiver and cornerback for Jackson State and Colorado and has impressed on both ends.
On the defensive end, he had 31 tackles, three interceptions, and five pass deflections in nine games last season. Offensively, the Georgia native had 721 yards and five touchdowns on 57 receptions.
The question about Hunter is where he’ll play at the next level, but Dane Brugler of The Athletic believes that he could do both.
“Is Hunter a wide receiver or a cornerback prospect? Both. And that is not a cop-out answer, but the correct answer,” Brugler wrote on July 18.
He added that there are opinions about where he fits best but wrote that he’s undoubtedly one of the top prospects entering the season.
“There is plenty of split opinion around the league on Hunter’s best long-term position, but there is zero doubt he is one of the best prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft,” Brugler wrote.
Either way, Hunter could make a big impact for the Washington Commanders or whichever team drafts him.
