Travis Hunter is a unicorn.
I’ve run out of other words to describe him at this point. The Colorado two-way superstar electrified the sport in a way we’ve never seen before. He tallied 1,152 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions as a receiver. And, as a cornerback, he intercepted four passes and had seven pass breakups, 32 tackles and one forced fumble. He was one of the best receivers in the country while also playing as one of the best defensive backs in the country — an astounding feat when you consider how exhausting it is to average 120 snaps per game. Not to mention the week-in and week-out preparation, film study and mental toughness required to play two positions full-time.
Michigan DB Charles Woodson, the 1997 Heisman winner, is maybe the best comparison for Hunter in recent college football history, and even that one doesn’t feel quite right. It’s not just Hunter’s athleticism or versatility that makes him stand out — it’s also his impact on games and on his entire program. There is no way that Colorado wins nine games this year without Hunter’s production on both sides of the ball. And the Buffs’ turnaround from a four-win team in Deion Sanders’ first season to 9-3 and on the cusp of a Big 12 Championship Game appearance in Year 2 was one of the defining storylines of this college football season. I proudly voted for Hunter No. 1 on my Heisman ballot.
None of this should take away from what Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty accomplished. He, too, was appointment viewing. Jeanty was and is in pursuit of records set by Barry Sanders that most of us never thought would be touched. He’s rushed for an astonishing 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns on 344 carries this season. Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards and 37 touchdowns with the exact same number of carries. It’s really not far off, and in most other years, Jeanty’s season would definitely win him the Heisman. But Hunter did something we’ve never seen in college football before, and Jeanty was hurt a bit by most of his production coming against Mountain West competition rather than Power 4 opponents. Still, I debated the No. 1 spot on my ballot for quite some time after Boise State won the Mountain West title. But I ultimately gave the edge to the swiss-army knife. Jeanty was No. 2 on my ballot.
I put Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel third on my ballot because he was exceptional in the Ducks’ biggest games. Against Ohio State, Penn State and Boise State, Gabriel threw for 822 yards and eight touchdowns (with zero interceptions). I just felt like Gabriel deserved to be in New York City, even though I knew he wouldn’t win the award. He’s the best quarterback on a national championship contender, and I wanted to highlight that.
