Deion Sanders makes case for why Travis Hunter should win Heisman Trophy

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter is tied with Miami quarterback Cam Ward for the best Heisman Trophy odds right now, according to FanDuel.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty are up next. Odds fluctuate, but Jeanty and Hunter have often headlined Heisman talks this season.

For one, Jeanty has put up video game stats on a College Football Playoff-caliber Boise State team. He’s piled up 1,525 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in eight games this season.

Hunter, on the other hand, has starred on both sides of the ball in the FBS for the second year in a row, this time making an even greater impact.

At wideout, Hunter currently leads Colorado with 60 receptions, 757 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. At cornerback, he’s allowed just 120 receiving yards this season without giving up a receiving score, per Pro Football Focus — he’s also defended a team-high seven passes and recorded two interceptions, not to mention his game-sealing forced fumble in overtime against Baylor back in Week 4.

“Nobody has ever done what he’s done,” Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders said on the “Colorado Football Coaches Show” this week. “Let’s just get that straight. If the award is for the best player, I think that is him. Now, this other kid is phenomenal, he’s the best running back. It’s a couple guys putting up those types of numbers, they just not giving the other guys any love. But he’s definitely one of the best, if not the best, running back.

“But what Travis is doing, hasn’t been done. It really hasn’t.”

Hunter left the Kansas State game in Week 7 with a shoulder injury, and he was limited because of that injury in Week 8 at Arizona.

But last time out against Cincinnati in Week 9, he had a full dose of snaps — Hunter combined for 137 snaps across offense (70), defense (64) and special teams (3), according to PFF. The Suwanee, Georgia, native caught nine passes for a career-high 153 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 34-23 win. He also gave up just two receptions for nine yards on six targets, per PFF, while defending four passes and making two tackles along the way.

Hunter has already played 895 snaps across the three phases of the game this season, according to PFF. And, unlike last year, his Buffs are a conference championship contender. During its first year in the Big 12, Colorado is 6-2 overall and 4-1 in league action.

“I’m thankful that I’m his coach because if I was selfish and said, ‘You know, you’re just going to do what everybody else has done,’ we wouldn’t get to see the best of Travis Hunter,” Sanders said. “Think about that.

“If he goes anywhere — nobody never allowed — the only reason I allow something like that is because I can fathom it. … I did it at the pro level. So I know — don’t tell me what can’t be done. I did it at the pro level. I was playing 100-some snaps a game at the pro level. So why can’t he?”