Joel Klatt explains why he voted for Travis Hunter to win the Heisman Trophy

After Travis Hunter was the latest winner of The Heisman Trophy this weekend, Joel Klatt revealed why the two-way star was atop his ballot.

Klatt explained his Heisman vote for Hunter during his show on Monday. That was because, by far, he felt that he was the best player in the entire sport this fall for how he performed on both sides of the football at wide receiver and cornerback for Colorado.

“It’s really hard to be an All-American – very hard. It’s the elite of the elite. That’s why they call them All-Americans. Trying to do that on both sides of the ball is basically impossible. It’s unprecedented. To be an elite player on both sides of the ball is something that we’ve never seen before ever, ever in the history of college football,” said Klatt. “Travis Hunter is completely unprecedented in our sport’s history. So let’s just start with that fact. That is an absolute fact. I believe he is clearly the best football player in the sport. Again, this guy did not have a comp. It’s totally unprecedented, what he did.”

“He’s playing All-American football on both sides of the ball, which is bananas to me,” Klatt said. “It’s absolutely bananas to me.”

Again, Klatt’s overall point isn’t just that he played a ton this season for the Buffaloes. It’s what he did in those total snaps as an incredibly impactful player at each position.

“There was also some pushback on this fact that, like, ‘Oh, it was just his number of snaps!’. Well, one, no. I just read off all the accolades that have nothing to do with his snaps. It’s just what he was doing in domination on each side of the ball. Then you’ve got to take into consideration that he was doing all of that while playing 1,443 snaps of college football. That’s crazy, everybody. Just letting you know. That is absolutely crazy,” Klatt said. “It’s not just volume, though, because he’s going out there and playing All-American football on both sides – Biletnikoff, Hornung, Walter Camp Player of the Year, now The Heisman Trophy.”

The statistics and accolades that have since followed only further make that case for Hunter.

“You know, I look at what he did on just one side of the ball? Like, the offensive side of the football, he is the Biletnikoff Award winner, best wide receiver in the sport – which, in and of itself, is insane, is insane,” Klatt said. “To reach those levels, to have a season like that in the Power Four? He was second in catches, third in receiving yards, and first in touchdown catches. That’s wild! That is wild just to have a season like that.”

“Four interceptions, one forced fumble…He only had 38 targets as a defensive back,” Klatt continued. “I’ve heard people take swipes at his defensive numbers – like, ‘Well, he doesn’t have defensive numbers!’. Exactly! Because the ball doesn’t go his way. What is the number one compliment any offense can pay a defensive back? Don’t throw it at him, which is exactly what happened. 38 targets? In terms of starting corners in the country, that’s 231st. He got no action. Why? Because every offensive coordinator and quarterback would go into that game and say we’re not throwing at No. 12.”

To further underline how distinct he was, Klatt compared Hunter to only one other unbelievable athlete who’s also presently playing.

“There’s only one comp for Travis Hunter and he doesn’t win a football uniform. That’s Shohei Ohtani,” said Klatt. “Ohtani and what he’s doing in baseball, being a premium pitcher and position player/hitter is the only comp for what Travis Hunter is doing.”

There’s no denying the one-of-one effect that Hunter had on the collegiate game this year. That’s why, in the end, Klatt cast his vote for him as his Heisman.

“This guy is absolutely incredible. His instincts are incredible. His athleticism is through the roof, his football IQ is through the roof, his playmaking ability is through the roof,” said Klatt. “He’s the best player in college football.”

“So why did I vote for Travis Hunter? Because Travis Hunter was doing things that we’ve never seen before in the history of the sport. We might not ever see it again,” Klatt said. “It wasn’t just a historic season. It was a totally unprecedented season. He was doing things that, quite frankly, bend the mind. The number of snaps and the level at which he played in those snaps is something that I just don’t think we’re ever going to see again. I really don’t.”