When Travis Hunter announced he was committing to Jackson State in 2021, it shook the college football world.
Never before had an HBCU landed a high school football player of such acclaim.
The landmark move resulted in Jackson State further legitimizing itself among the top destinations in the sport.
“I appreciate Deion (Sanders) giving me this opportunity of a lifetime,” Hunter said back then. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities have a rich history in football. I want to be part of that history and more. I am making this decision so that I can light the way for others to follow, make it a little easier for the next player to recognize that HBCUs may be everything you want and more.”
Hunter had offers from Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson in addition to Florida State.
Hunter, the two-way star with Jackson State and later Colorado, earned him the No. 2 spot on The Athletic’s list of 25 best No. 1 recruits of the 21st Century.
Here is what The Athletic college recruiting staff writer Grace Raynor wrote about Hunter, who finished behind former Texas star Vince Young on the list:
Hunter was a star on both sides of the ball, playing cornerback and wide receiver at the highest level for Jackson State and Colorado. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy, Hunter also won the Chuck Bednarik Award (given to the nation’s top defender) and the Biletnikoff Award (given to the nation’s most outstanding receiver). There may never be another player like him.
It paid off for Jackson State as Hunter was named an FCS All-American as a freshman and helped the Tigers to a SWAC championship and Celebration Bowl by his sophomore year before transferring to Colorado, where he won a Heisman Trophy.
