Travis Hunter reflects on decision to flip from Florida State to Jackson State in high school

Colorado Buffaloes‘ two-way star Travis Hunter is now a Heisman finalist and presumed first round NFL Draft pick. It’s the final act in one of the best college careers in recent memory, but Hunter is no stranger to headlines even going back to his recruitment.

As a highly regarded recruit, Travis Hunter made the move to flip his commitment from Florida State to Jackson State coming out of high school. Now, while making an appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Hunter broke down that decision and what Deion Sanders meant to him when he was making it.

“We had that conversation with whether I was gonna go or stay with Florida State,” Travis Hunter said. “He let me know he wanted me. It’s like, going to be a big impact but you’re a humble kid and we know you can take on whatever comes your way. So, it’s your choice to make. I finalized and made the decision with, at the time, my girl. She was still there. She still is here. So, people don’t know I had that conversation with her first before I went to my family and had that conversation. Once I had that conversation with them, let them know, I know it’s a big sacrifice but one day my brothers and sisters may not go D-I. So, I’ve still got to shine a light somewhere else and that was my main focus and that’s what I did.”

Coming out of high school, Travis Hunter was a five-star recruit in the Class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was also the second-ranked recruit overall in that recruiting cycle, making his decision to choose Jackson State at the FCS level almost unheard of at the time.

Hunter would play one season at Jackson State before transferring to Colorado, following Sanders. There, he became a household name for college football fans. Much of that success, Hunter explained, has come down to the relationship that he has with his coach.

“I think I asked him this question two months ago. I said, ‘What would we be if I didn’t decide to go there?’ And I still don’t know the answer because when I first talked to him it was like I don’t care who he is, I don’t want to go there. But, as I talked to him more, it was like this might be the place. He’s more than just a coach, he’s a father. I’d be at his house up at 1:00 and I’d leave in like the next three hours and I’d still be up, running around,” Hunter said.

“I don’t know where I would be. I’ve tried to figure that out. I try not to think too much on it because we’ve got one more game. It’s going to be our last together. It gets you kind of emotional because it changed my life forever. I texted him that one game a couple of games ago, like, ‘Coach, you changed my life forever.’ Just being able to see where I’m at now, I don’t know where I would have been at if I went to Florida State.”

Part of what has made Travis Hunter’s college career so remarkable has come down to his ability to compete as a two-way player. That’s not an opportunity he would have had at Florida State or anywhere else for that matter.

“I don’t think any other school in the world was gonna let me do that. It took him a minute to let me play both sides of the ball,” Hunter said. “Like he said, I had to dominate on one side of the ball first to earn my stripes to play on the other side. That’s the conversation we had before I got here. Like, ‘Coach, I’ve got to play both sides. I’m too bored on the sideline. I don’t like sitting on the sideline. I’m eager to go out there and get the ball in my hands and show you what I can do.’ That first year, did what I had to do and this last year it’s been very special because he already knew coming into the year that I was gonna be that guy.

Now, Travis Hunter has one college game left with Deion Sanders. The Colorado Buffaloes will take on the BYU Cougars in the Alamo Bowl before Hunter will presumably move onto the NFL.