The New England Patriots are sitting in an enviable spot heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. They hold the fourth overall pick, and—unlike the three teams in front of them—aren’t desperate for a quarterback.
That alone makes Colorado’s Travis Hunter very much in play. He’s been a dream target for New England all offseason.
Hunter is the kind of generational prospect who rarely comes around. He’s not just elite at one position—he’s elite at two. In 2024 alone, he logged 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns while also locking down receivers as a top-tier cornerback. His 1,552 total snaps were the most by any player in college football. And somehow, there was no drop-off in performance on either side of the ball.
He's a hardware collector: Hunter is a two-time All-American, Heisman Trophy winner, and Biletnikoff Award winner (nation's top wide receiver). For good measure, he also won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year... so yeah, he can more than hold his own on both ends.
Still, there are skeptics. Traditional evaluators question whether any player can truly succeed both ways at the NFL level. Hunter has now answered that doubt with a not-so-subtle ultimatum.
Travis Hunter tells Patriots he must play both cornerback and wide receiver
In a one-on-one with CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell, Hunter made it crystal clear: limiting him to one position is a nonstarter:
“It’s never playing football again,” Hunter said. “Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.”
This is the kind of player New England hasn’t had in years (possibly ever)—one who commands the spotlight and elevates the excitement level at Gillette Stadium the second he walks through the door. Offensively, Hunter could step in immediately as a dynamic receiving weapon for Drake Maye, complementing Stefon Diggs and stretching the field in ways the 2024 offense simply couldn’t.
Defensively, he’d offer Mike Vrabel the chance to pair two future stars—Hunter and Christian Gonzalez—on the outside. Add Carlton Davis III to the mix, and suddenly you’ve got one of the most talented secondaries in football.
That’s the kind of chessboard versatility Vrabel could weaponize from Day 1.
Of course, the Patriots are still at the mercy of the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants at picks two and three. If either team pivots from quarterback, they could snag Hunter. But if he’s there at No. 4, this isn’t a debate. The Patriots have to send that card in.
There are athletes in this draft—and then there’s Travis Hunter. Fingers crossed he’s a Patriot, dominating both sides of the ball like only he can in 2025.