Travis Hunter is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and possibly the most talented player in the 2025 NFL draft pool. He's quite possibly the most talented player to ever step on the field, even if he's not the most statistically dominant.
Interestingly enough, he may be drafted as a "placeholder" by the New England Patriots at the top of the draft if Robert Kraft's franchise ends up with the No. 1 pick. That's what For The Win's Christian D'Andrea thinks, anyway.
"This is a placeholder pick — a player the Patriots could use in a spot they probably wouldn’t select him. New England doesn’t need a quarterback and has a multitude of holes to be filled. The three teams behind them in the pecking order (and a handful more) could use Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. Expect New England to auction this pick off to the highest bidder hoping to get a haul similar to what the Carolina Panthers paid for Bryce Young in 2023," D'Andrea wrote.
"For now, Hunter fills holes on both sides of the roster. He can be a dynamic corner across from Christian Gonzalez to give the Pats one of the brightest young coverage combinations in the league. Or he can be Drake Maye’s huckleberry on the offense, using his absurd ball skills to haul in Maye’s gorgeous deep throws. Either way, he’d be a boon for a talent-deficient team."
There are only a handful of teams looking to take a QB, and with Drake Maye taken in last year's draft, the Pats won't be in the market for another anytime soon. Hunter makes sense as a foundational piece in Foxborough.
Of course, he won't be able to wear the No. 12 given Tom Brady's legacy, but Hunter could make No. 48, or any number for that matter, a best-selling jersey with his big-play sensibilities.