5-star Travis Hunter's uniqueness doesn't stop on football field

ATLANTA – Suwanee (Ga.) Collins Hill High School senior Travis Hunter walked from the bowels of Mercedes Benz Stadium last week with a stuffed animal atop his shoulders and a grin on his face.

By the end of the night, Hunter and Collins Hill ran through Brookwood 36-10. Hunter caught 13 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw a touchdown. He had an interception on defense and recorded multiple tackles.

Hunter is the second-ranked player in the Class of 2022. He’s also already committed to Florida State.

The stats are astounding. They have been for two years now. Hunter’s dominance in 7-on-7 has been well documented and has exploded his following on social media.

Travis Hunter Ok with being different

The word different floated around the field prior to Saturday’s game. But maybe the more appropriate word to describe Travis Hunter is unique.

Hunter possesses a switch that very few athletes can truly flip. Ryan Andrews, a private defensive back coach from Georgia and a coach on the C1N staff, recalls a few moments over the summer during the Pylon nationals in Dallas that highlighted the switch.

Hunter gave up a pass completion during a 7-on-7 game. The receiver began trash-talking Hunter, to which he responded “you will not catch another pass today.”

He backed that up.

“Literally the kid didn’t catch another pass,” Andrews recalls.

It was a precursor to Saturday night’s performance.

Brookwood scored early in the game. Hunter delivered a similar warning to Brookwood and then responded with his big game.

“There’s not another athlete in this state, and I would be hard-pressed to find one in this country that is built like that,” Andrews said. “That’s what makes him special.”

Alter ego?

Deion Sanders created an alter ego known as “Prime Time” that stepped out on the football field on Saturdays and Sundays.

Hunter has developed something similar.

“He’s created this switch in his mind that allows him to have fun, he can go about his business,” Matthews said. “He can flip this switch at any given moment and whoever the opponent, it’s a wrap for them. It’s over.”

A reporter asked Hunter following the game how he got so open on his 77-yard touchdown.

“It’s just me,” he said. “That’s why I was so open”.

IT’S ME🥷🏾 1 OF 1 🐐 @shotbyjoel @247Sports @Rivals pic.twitter.com/hZifOATAfP

— Travis Hunter (@TravisHunterJr) August 23, 2021

“Most people would take it as an arrogant answer, but that’s truly how Travis feels,” Andrews said. “He doesn’t think the things he’s doing are different. That’s just him being him. If you’ve never been different, then you don’t understand when he says ‘That’s just me.’ Because in your mind, I can’t do what he’s doing. He truly doesn’t feel like it’s special. He’s one of the humblest kids I’ve been around.”

The NFL has started cracking down on taunting moving into 2021. Players like Hunter and his 7-on-7 team’s head coach Cam Newton will be penalized for any excessive celebrations toward their opponents.

At the high school level, Hunter’s stuffed animal appearance prior to Saturday’s game sent photographers into a frenzy to try and find the right angle.

For Newton, his Superman poses, dab dances and first down celebrations have brought about criticism throughout his NFL career.

It has never been for the attention in either’s case. It is part of the joy of playing the game of football.

“For anyone who criticizes Travis (Hunter) or Cam (Newton) or any athlete like that, come walk in the neighborhoods that they grew up in and you’ll see why there is such joy to play football,” Andrews said. “Come walk around College Park from about 10 years ago and you’ll see why Cam is happy.

“Go to Palm Beach County, the Pahokee part, not West Palm Beach. You’ll see why they act the way they act. They’re not supposed to be there.”