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Travis Hunter isn’t just trying to enter the NFL — he’s looking to revolutionize it. After making college football history as the first player to dominate on both sides of the ball while snagging the Heisman Trophy, Hunter now wants to bring his two-way talent to the pros.
But here’s the reality: taking hits in college football is nothing compared to the punishment NFL players endure every Sunday. Hunter’s ambitious plan to play “every snap” as both receiver and cornerback sounds great in theory, but seems wildly unrealistic in practice. We’re talking about a generational talent, sure — but nobody has ever sustained that workload in the modern NFL.
The comparisons don’t help his case, either. At the NFL Combine, Hunter likened his two-way football aspirations to what Shohei Ohtani does in baseball. It’s an unfortunate parallel. Ohtani — despite playing a far less physically demanding sport — has battled significant injuries throughout his career. Now imagine subjecting your body to the weekly car crashes that NFL players experience while playing both offense and defense.
The Ohtani Comparison Shows Hunter Doesn’t Get It
Let’s be clear: no NFL franchise is seriously entertaining the idea of Hunter playing full-time on both sides of the ball. The math simply doesn’t add up. NFL players already struggle with durability playing just one position — now add potentially 100+ snaps per game for 17 regular season contests (plus playoffs). For a projected top-five pick representing a massive investment, that level of risk is simply untenable.
Hunter should reconsider his stance, too.
A situational role makes sense — maybe he’s primarily a cornerback who occasionally lines up at receiver for specific packages, or vice versa. But the vision of playing every defensive series and every offensive series? That’s a recipe for a shortened career. The NFL graveyard is filled with talented players whose bodies broke down playing just one position.
Availability isn’t just a nice quality in the NFL — it’s essential. Every season, we watch careers derailed by injuries. Players who specialize in one position still miss significant time. The physical demands Hunter would face playing both ways would likely see his elite abilities diminish before he even reaches his prime.
Look at Ohtani’s situation for context. The Dodgers invested $700 million in him as baseball’s premier two-way player — yet he didn’t throw a single pitch in his first season with LA. His body couldn’t handle it, despite baseball’s relatively forgiving physical demands compared to football. That speaks volumes about human limitations, even for extraordinary athletes.
Hunter has already proven his remarkable versatility at the college level. Why risk a potentially legendary NFL career by attempting something that might cut it short? The NFL isn’t college — it’s a different game with different physical demands.
