Travis Hunter reveals why he picked Deion Sanders over Florida State
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Travis Hunter told the Chasing No. 1 podcast he quietly explored other options before following Deion Sanders from Jackson State to Colorado.
- He said money was never the question. His only condition was playing both offense and defense, which no other school would allow.
- The decision paid off. Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy and was drafted No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025.
Travis Hunter just told the world something new. He almost did not follow Deion Sanders to Colorado. He admitted this in a new podcast interview.
Everyone assumed he would go where Sanders went. Hunter says that was not a sure thing. He explored his options in private first, then respect for Sanders brought him back.
"I did a little exploring," Hunter said, according to EssentiallySports.
What happened
Hunter spoke on the podcast this week. He looked back at the end of the 2022 season, when Jackson State had just lost to North Carolina Central. The Celebration Bowl loss ended the season.
Hunter entered the transfer portal that December. Sanders was named head coach of Colorado in the same month. He was leaving Jackson State for a bigger program.
The whole college football world expected the next move. Hunter would follow Sanders to Boulder. It seemed obvious to everyone.
But Hunter now says he paused. He felt the decision needed a second look. He quietly checked what else was out there.
"That transfer process was kind of weird," Hunter said. "At the same time, I had too much respect for Coach Prime, so even going out there and exploring my options just a little bit, I felt like it was kind of disrespectful."
His respect for Sanders won in the end. He followed him to Colorado anyway.
"I tried to see what was out there for me, but at the end of the day, I was just like, man, I got too much respect for him," Hunter said on the podcast.
He also talked about the moment that started it all: the original flip from Florida State. Hunter was the top-ranked high school recruit in the class of 2022. He had promised to play for Florida State.
Then, on signing day in December 2021, he changed his mind. He signed with Jackson State instead. Sanders was the head coach there.
Hunter became the first five-star recruit to pick an HBCU or FCS school over the big FBS programs. The move shocked college football.
His reason was simple. He had one demand, and it was not money.
"I didn't care about the money," Hunter said. "How could they get me there?"
"What could they do for me when I get there? I wanted to know if I could play both sides of the ball."
"That's the only question I had for him."
No other school would let him play both offense and defense. Sanders said yes. That promise sealed the deal.
"He came and got me to not go to Florida State and changed my mindset and changed the picture of everything," Hunter said. "He really changed my life, for real."
Why it matters
The flip changed college football recruiting. A top recruit had never chosen a small school like Jackson State. It showed players they had real choices.
Other schools noticed. Coaches started to see that talent could come from anywhere. Sanders proved a small program could land a giant star.
Hunter's honesty matters too. Fans saw a star who turned down money and picked the coach who let him play his way. That story still inspires young players today.
The transfer admission adds a human layer. Hunter was not a robot following orders, and he thought hard about his future. He weighed his loyalty against his options.
Respect decided it. He stayed with the coach who believed in him first. That bond lasted through college and into the pros.
Hunter's college numbers show the promise worked. At Jackson State, he made 20 tackles and 2 interceptions on defense. On offense, he caught 18 passes for 188 yards and 4 touchdowns.
At Colorado, he started fast. In the 2023 season opener, Colorado beat TCU 45-42 while Hunter played more than 110 snaps. He caught 11 passes for 119 yards, grabbed an interception, and made 3 tackles.
In 2024, he won the Heisman Trophy. The award goes to the best player in college football. He was the first Colorado player to win it since Rashaan Salaam in 1994.
His 2024 season was historic. On offense, he had 1,258 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. On defense, he made 36 tackles and 4 interceptions, according to Yardbarker.
He played nearly 1,400 snaps in total. That was 382 more than any other player in the country.
What happens next
Hunter is now in the NFL. Jacksonville drafted him second overall in the 2025 draft. The Jaguars traded up from the fifth pick to get him.
He also shared a personal moment with Sanders this year. Hunter missed Sanders' wedding in May. He later flew to Boulder for a one-on-one talk.
"It got me this far, and I was also able to win the Heisman trophy," Hunter told the Jaguars team reporter. "He let me be able to be myself, and it got me in a good place, so I was happy I made that decision to go play for him."
The story is not over. Hunter keeps talking about his path in interviews. Fans keep searching for every new detail.
Sanders keeps coaching in Colorado. His program keeps drawing national attention. The bond between the two men remains strong.
For Hunter, the lesson is clear. One honest promise mattered more than any paycheck, and a coach who trusted him changed his life. That is why fans still search this story today.
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