Broncos writer sends strong message on Travis Hunter playing for Sean Payton
On SI's Chad Jensen is smitten with the idea of Sean Payton coaching Travis Hunter on the Denver Broncos -- and believes the two-way star wouldn't have to sacrifice snaps on either side of the football in that scenario given Payton's schematic creativity.
"In a figurative, fantasy world where Hunter lands with the Broncos, Payton would be a kid in a candy store," Jensen prefaced before saying, "Payton is one of the handful of NFL head coaches with the ingenuity and wisdom to use a player of Hunter's caliber on both sides of the ball.
"Inexorably, Hunter would find his way to an NFL specialty, but the Broncos would definitely be a great landing spot for him — for reasons beyond the local CU connection and his desire to remain in Colorado as a pro."
Jensen was responding to the rumors Hunter started himself when he declared that he'd love to stay in Denver and play for the Broncos because of the love he's received as a member of the Colorado Buffaloes in the past two years.
"I wish I could go to the Broncos, just to stay in Colorado," Hunter said on Thursday's episode of the Kickin' It with Dee podcast. "Because so much people just welcomed us with open arms. They showed us love that we would never have gotten in a different spot."
Travis Hunter becoming a certified football superstar in 2024
Hunter's hype when he first arrived in Boulder was manufactured by his No. 1 overall Class of 2022 recruiting ranking and the fact that he can play both sides of the ball. That hyped slowed significantly after CSU DB Henry Blackburn took him out for a month after a dirty hit in the 2023 Rocky Mountain Showdown. It never came back last season, especially after Stanford's Elic Ayomanor "Moss'd" Hunter on a jump ball in a 46-43 2OT thriller that the Cardinal won after trailing 29-0.
Well, the hype is here to stay in 2024. After Hunter's timely interception during a 48-21 CU rout of UCF in Week 5, No. 12 hit a Heisman pose and all but announced his candidacy for the sport's most prestigious award was for real.
There used to be more smoke than fire when it came to Hunter being the best player in the sport. Now, there's results, and the college football world is ablaze from the Buffs star's play.