Travis Hunter & the Future of Positional Versatility in the NFL

Is it time to reconsider the idea of players playing both offense and defense in the NFL?

This year in college football, no team will fascinate, infuriate, or spark as much interest in casual observers as the Colorado Buffaloes. In the second year of the Deion Sanders experiment, there are a lot of storylines that fans and media members alike will latch onto.

Much of this attention will center on Sanders and his very polarizing personality. While many others will be looking at his son and quarterback Shedeur who might be drafted high in next year’s NFL Draft. But the more fascinating story to me in Boulder is that of Travis Hunter, a player that is a star on both offense and defense. His future could dictate the way we view skill position football players in the context of enhanced versatility.

Playing Both Ways

Image Credit: LIORIKI via Adobe Stock

Travis Hunter’s positional archetype has lent itself well to playing both offense and defense on the collegiate level. Hunter plays both cornerback and wide receiver. It is a combination that has worked when attempted in the modern era. Champ Bailey at Georgia, Charles…