Travis Hunter is making history at Colorado by playing virtually every snap on offense and defense. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound two-way player has become one of the most talked-about players in college football for his dynamic play at wide receiver and cornerback. In 2024, Hunter won the Heisman Trophy.
A former five-star recruit from Suwanee, Georgia, Hunter was ESPN's No. 1-ranked athlete coming out of high school. While he likely could have played at most any college, Hunter elected to play first at Jackson State and then in Boulder. The reason: to learn and grow under one of the greatest football players and most versatile athletes in history -- Deion Sanders.
Sanders, or "Coach Prime" as he likes to be called since becoming a head coach, did not play offense while in college at Florida State. Throughout his NFL Hall of Fame career, he was a shutdown corner and return specialist and moonlighted as a receiver. He also had a solid Major League Baseball career.
As Hunter and Sanders look to make history together at Colorado, let's take a look at 12 other notable two-way players from college football history.
Champ Bailey, DB/WR, Georgia
▪︎ Played at Georgia from 1996-1998
▪︎ 52 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups on defense and 47 catches, 744 receiving yards (team-high) and five receiving touchdowns (team-high) on offense in 1998
▪︎ Consensus All-American, Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner (Most Outstanding Defensive Player in college football) in 1998
▪︎ Seventh in Heisman Trophy voting in 1998
▪︎ Selected as a cornerback by Washington with the seventh overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft
▪︎ College and Pro Football Hall of Famer
Chuck Bednarik, C/LB, Penn
▪︎ Played at Penn from 1945-1948
▪︎ Finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting in 1947, third in 1948
▪︎ Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the Defensive Player of the Year in college football
▪︎ No. 1 overall pick in the 1949 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, where he went on to start on both offense as a center and on defense as a linebacker
▪︎ College and Pro Football Hall of Famer
Dick Butkus, LB/C, Illinois
▪︎ Played at Illinois from 1962-1964
▪︎ Unanimous All-American in 1963, consensus All-American in 1964
▪︎ Finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1963, third in 1964
▪︎ Selected third overall in the 1965 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears
▪︎ College and Pro Football Hall of Famer
Chris Gamble, DB/WR, Ohio State
▪︎ Played at Ohio State from 2001-2003
▪︎ 31 catches for 499 yards and a rushing score on offense and 24 tackles, four interceptions and an interception return touchdown on defense in 2002
▪︎ Helped guide the Buckeyes to a 14-0 record and a national championship in 2002
▪︎ Selected as a cornerback by the Carolina Panthers with the 28th overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft
Paul Hornung, QB/HB/FB/DB, Notre Dame
▪︎ Played at Notre Dame from 1954-1956
▪︎ Two touchdowns on offense and two interceptions on defense led the Fighting Irish past No. 4 Navy in 1955
▪︎ Won the Heisman Trophy in 1956 (only player to win the Heisman while playing for a losing team)
▪︎ Paul Hornung Award is presented annually to the most versatile player in college football
▪︎ Selected as a halfback by the Green Bay Packers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1957 NFL draft
▪︎ College and Pro Football Hall of Famer
Myles Jack, LB/RB, UCLA
▪︎ Played at UCLA from 2013-2015
▪︎ Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2013
▪︎ 178 tackles, four interceptions and a touchdown on defense and 68 carries for 387 yards and 11 scores on offense over college career
▪︎ Selected as a linebacker by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round (36th overall pick) of the 2016 NFL draft
Adoree' Jackson, DB/WR, USC
▪︎ Played at USC from 2014-2016
▪︎ Six interceptions (five as a senior) and a touchdown on defense and 39 catches for 628 yards and six scores on offense over college career
▪︎ Consensus All-American, Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Jim Thorpe Award winner (top defensive back in college football) in 2016
▪︎ 18th overall pick by the Tennessee Titans in the 2017 NFL draft
Bronko Nagurski, FB/DT, Minnesota
▪︎ Played at Minnesota from 1927-1929
▪︎ Only player in college football history named a consensus All-American at two different positions in the same season (1929)
▪︎ Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in college football
▪︎ Joined the Chicago Bears in 1930 and led the team to three NFL titles in eight seasons
▪︎ College and Pro Football Hall of Famer
Jabrill Peppers, LB/RB, Michigan
▪︎ Played at Michigan from 2014-2016
▪︎ 72 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four sacks, an interception and a forced fumble on defense and 27 carries, 167 yards and three touchdowns on offense in 2016
▪︎ Unanimous All-American in 2016
▪︎ Finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2016
▪︎ 25th overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 NFL draft
Shaq Thompson, DB/LB/RB, Washington
▪︎ Played at Washington from 2012-2014
▪︎ Team-high 81 tackles, a sack, an interception, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and four touchdowns on defense and 456 rushing yards and two rushing scores on offense in 2014
▪︎ Paul Hornung Award winner in 2014
▪︎ 25th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2015 NFL draft
Jim Thorpe, HB/DB, Carlisle
▪︎ Played at Carlisle off and on from 1904-1913
▪︎ Consensus All-American in 1911 and 1912
▪︎ Jim Thorpe Award is presented annually to the top defensive back in college football
▪︎ Signed with the Canton Bulldogs in 1915 and played 52 games over 12 professional football seasons
▪︎ College and Pro Football Hall of Famer
Charles Woodson, DB/WR, Michigan
▪︎ Played at Michigan from 1995-1997
▪︎ Seven interceptions on defense and 11 catches for 231 yards and three total touchdowns (two receiving and one rushing) on offense in a unanimous All-American, national championship-winning season in 1997
▪︎ Won the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award (among others) in 1997
▪︎ Won the Heisman Trophy in 1997 (only primarily defensive player in college football history to win the Heisman)
▪︎ Fourth overall pick by the Raiders in the 1998 NFL draft
▪︎ College and Pro Football Hall of Famer
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