Who is Travis Hunter?: Get to know the Jaguars new star two-way player on and off the field

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars made the biggest splash of the NFL Draft on Thursday night with a blockbuster trade to move up and draft Colorado wide receiver/cornerback and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter with the second overall pick.

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Along with a unique player who can make plays on both sides of the ball, the Jaguars are getting someone with true superstar qualities. The 21-year-old has swagger, an infectious smile, a deep bag of touchdown celebrations, a huge online following and no fear of the big stage.

Let’s get to know Hunter a little better.

Unconventional path

Hunter was born in Florida and raised in Boyton Beach, but he moved to the Atlanta area ahead of high school, and that’s where he began to shine on the field.

In 2020, Hunter played in Gwinnett County and led Collins Hill to the state finals while setting single-season records with 137 catches for 1,746 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also had 51 tackles and eight interceptions as a junior in his other role as a cornerback.

Hunter, a 5-star recruit, was considered the best player in the country by many and committed to Florida State University in 2020. But the next year, he shocked everyone by flipping his commitment to Jackson State, a Historically Black school, led by one of the best two-way (and two-sport) athletes in history, Deion Sanders. With the move, Hunter became the first 5-star recruit to sign with an HBCU or FCS school.

In a clip that went viral on Friday, Hunter talked about the possibility of being drafted by the Jaguars during a visit to the stadium while he was at Jackson State.

“Hopefully I get drafted here one day because [the Jaguars] gonna have a top pick in the future,” Hunter said.

After one season at Jackson State, Hunter followed Sanders when Prime Time took a head coaching position at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023.

Amid the national spotlight that came with Sanders as head coach, Hunter had an incredible two-year run at Colorado.

In his FBS debut, Hunter played as both a starting wide receiver and cornerback and finished the game with over 110 snaps, 11 receptions, 119 receiving yards, one interception in the red zone and three tackles, helping the Colorado Buffaloes upset No. 17 TCU in a 45-42 thriller.

“He is him,” Sanders said about Hunter during the game.

In two seasons at Colorado, Hunter had 153 catches, 1,979 yards receiving and 20 touchdowns, including 15 in 2024. He also had seven interceptions and 16 passes defended as a shut-down cornerback.

Hunter was named the college football Defensive Player of the Year and the best wide receiver in college football in 2024 on top of his Heisman trophy win. He was the first full-time, two-way player to win the Heisman since the early 1960s and the first to win the award while playing significant minutes on both sides of the ball since Charles Woodson (1997).

Huge online following, love for fishing

While in college, Hunter gained a huge online following and millions of dollars, thanks to his on-field skill, his big personality and the hype that came along with being a part of a program led by Sanders, the ultimate hype man.

Hunter has 2 million followers on Instagram and another 1.6 million on TikTok and 484,000 subscribers on YouTube. His videos on YouTube have racked up over 35 million views.

In one video last year, Hunter surprised his mom with her dream home.

The videos he posts online give a personal look into his day-to-day life from his point of view.

He is also a popular streamer on Twitch, where he has 125,000 followers.

On Twitch, Hunter plays video games, dances and interacts with fans. He also has a close relationship with Kai Cenat, a hugely popular online streamer, YouTuber, and internet personality. Cenat famously inspired a touchdown celebration last season.

He also brought along rapper Lil Wayne to the draft and his Heisman ceremony.

Hunter parlayed his online following and high profile into an estimated $5.7 million NIL valuation, according to On3.com. He has deals with Adidas, United Airlines, Celsius, EA Sports and others.

But Hunter isn’t just online; he loves the outdoors, too.

Hunter told Sports Illustrated that he grew up fishing canals and ponds in Florida and considers himself to be a skilled angler.

“All I want to do is play football and fish all day,” he said.

Family man

Outside of buying a home for his mother Ferrante Edmonds, Hunter also has a close relationship with his father, Travis Hunter Sr.

Hunter paid tribute to his father, who wasn’t able to attend the ceremony, during an emotional speech when he won the Heisman Trophy.

“Dad, I love you. For all the stuff you went through man...Now look at your oldest son. I did it for you, man,” he said through tears.

But Hunter Sr. was able to attend the draft and give his son a hug after he was selected by the Jaguars.

According to USA Today, a Florida judge granted the father’s request to travel there this week. Hunter Sr. is currently serving three years of probation in Palm Beach County, Florida, after being convicted of gun and drug charges last year, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

Hunter also got engaged in 2024 to his longtime girlfriend Leanna Lenee.

Now, Hunter is ready to bring his family, big game, outgoing personality and fishing rods to Duval County.