Travis Hunter, a cornerback and receiver for Colorado, confirmed to USA Sports on Thursday that he is “definitely” planning to enter the NFL draft after this season, where he is anticipated to be a high pick.

A junior, Hunter still has one year of college eligibility left but has been widely expected to declare for the draft. Until a Zoom interview with YSL News Sports on Thursday, he had not made his plans public.

“Oh yeah,” Hunter laughed, confirming his decision. “That’s definitely for sure.”

Hunter is a leading contender for the Heisman Trophy, which will be awarded on December 14 in New York, and has played a significant role in his team’s 8-2 record this season under head coach Deion Sanders. He transferred to Colorado last year from Jackson State after Sanders accepted the head coaching position in Boulder in December 2022.

During the Zoom interview, Hunter mentioned that he intends to play both offense and defense in the NFL.

“They said I couldn’t do it in college,” he recalled. “But I ended up doing it. Now people are saying I can’t do it in the NFL, but I plan to prove them wrong.”

NFL teams may view this as a ‘high risk’

Many NFL teams might see it as risky to allow a high-value draft pick to take on multiple roles, fearing it could increase the likelihood of injury when there are other top-tier players available on both offense and defense.

Hunter acknowledged that he understands the cautious view NFL teams might have, noting, “It’s never been done before.”

“They are hesitant about the risk, especially if I end up being the top pick — they wouldn’t want someone like that to get hurt early on…” said Hunter. “But I believe in my ability. Nobody has stopped me from succeeding thus far. I’m driven to keep doing what I want despite the naysayers.”

This season, Hunter has rarely left the field on offense or defense, contributing to his team’s pursuit of the Big 12 Conference championship.

Just last week, Hunter became the first player in either the NFL or major college football in the past 24 years to achieve at least 50 receiving yards, score a rushing touchdown, and intercept a pass in the same game, a feat last accomplished by Champ Bailey in the NFL for Washington against Arizona on December 24, 2000, as reported by CU.

Hunter is currently the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, per BetMGM. His teammate, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, holds the eighth position on the same odds list.

“If it comes down to me or him, I’d much prefer he wins it because he does incredible things and achieves feats never seen before,” Shedeur Sanders remarked to reporters on Thursday.

Both players will showcase their skills again on Saturday when Colorado faces Kansas (4-6) at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

(This story has been updated with new information.)