Mike Vrabel Doesn T Seem Sure That Travis Hunter Could Play Both Sides

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 18, 2025, 3:07 PM

mike vrabel doesn t seem sure that travis hunter could play both sides

Travis Hunter is convinced he can be a two-way player in the NFL. Mike Vrabel, though, isn't so sure. On his way to claiming the 2024 Heisman Trophy, Hunter played both wide receiver and cornerback for the Colorado Buffaloes. As he prepares to be a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, he wants to continue playing both positions. "I've been doing it for a long time, so, I feel like I can keep doing it," Hunter said in February at the Scouting Combine. Travis Hunter wants to play both offense and defense in the NFL.

One possible landing spot for Hunter is with the New England Patriots, who have the No. 4 pick. Head coach Mike Vrabel seemed to imply that the Pats wouldn't be able to accommodate Hunter's request to play both sides. Mike Vrabel addresses whether or not the Patriots would play Travis Hunter both ways. For the Patriots, it would be a good problem to have: Where do you play Travis Hunter? The dual-threat Heisman Trophy-winner from Colorado might be the best football player in the 2025 NFL Draft.

If he's not, he's No. 2, behind Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter. Part of Hunter's value is tied to his versatility, where he brings next-level athleticism and ball skills to both the receiver and cornerback positions. But if Hunter somehow fell to the Patriots with the No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft, it doesn't sound as though Mike Vrabel would be all that keen on asking Hunter to do what he did at Colorado as an almost full-time player... Subscribe to NBC Sports Boston's podcast network to hear our Insiders bring you the latest insights on your favorite teams!

Send this article to your social connections. Send this article to your social connections. Few NFL prospects have generated more hype in recent years than Travis Hunter. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is expected to go off the board early in the 2025 NFL Draft due in large part to his unique profile as both a shutdown cornerback and dynamic wide... Hunter stuffed the stat sheet on both sides of the ball this past season with Colorado — winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the top collegiate wide receiver after reeling in 96 catches for... Patriots coach Mike Vrabel played a little bit of offense in his 14 NFL seasons as a player, enough to score 10 receiving touchdowns.

But he doesn’t know if Travis Hunter can play both sides of the ball in the NFL. Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, played 688 defensive snaps and 672 on offense last season and is adamant about remaining a two-way player in the NFL. “We’ve never seen a player necessarily do it,” Vrabel said, via Chad Graff of TheAthletic.com. “I think there’s some things he can improve on by probably concentrating on just one position. But never going to put any restrictions on Travis or any player. We try as much as they can handle.

We’re going to continue to put more on their plate. If he were on our football team and showed great skill at one position and started to really do well in his conditioning, and it didn’t fall and didn’t drop off, we would be... Some teams see Hunter as a better wide receiver, but most have him as a cornerback to start. The Patriots have the fourth overall pick, so at least one prospect among Hunter, left tackle Will Campbell and edge rusher Abdul Carter is expected to be there for the taking. New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and top draft prospect Travis Hunter had some fun jawing back and forth about life as a two-way player. Sure, Hunter played both wide receiver and cornerback throughout his collegiate career, but Vrabel knows a thing or two about playing on offense and defense as well.

The three-time Super Bowl champion was mostly known for being a former All-Pro linebacker in the NFL, but he also caught 10 touchdown passes. "I'm sure Travis doesn't even know, but we were kind of jawing back and forth as he left last night. And I said, 'You're not the only one that played two ways. There were some other guys that did this too,'" Vrabel said on NFL Network. "He kind of like looked at me, and we laughed." Hunter could potentially fall to the Patriots at No.

4 on the 2025 NFL draft board. They need help at both cornerback and receiver, and the Heisman Trophy winner is a rare player who would be a major addition to the roster. He could boost the Patriots' struggling receiving corps, or he could serve as a dominalnt one-two punch in the defensive backfield with All-Pro corner Christian Gonzalez. PALM BEACH, Fla. — A generational draft prospect, Travis Hunter should become a top-5 pick next month. Hunter, who won the Heisman Trophy playing wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, is widely believed to have All-Pro potential at either position in the NFL.

But skepticism creeps in when teams and analysts ponder whether Hunter could continue playing offense and defense at the pro level. Should Hunter fall to the No. 4 overall pick, the Patriots will need a ready-made answer. Speaking Monday morning at the NFL Annual Meeting, first-year coach Mike Vrabel offered some insight into the team’s thinking. “We’ve never seen a player necessarily do it. I think there’s some things (Hunter) can improve on by probably concentrating on just one position.

But (we’re) never going to put any restrictions on Travis or any player,” Vrabel said. “We try as much as they can handle. We’re going to continue to put more on their plate. If he were on our football team, and showed great skill at one position, and started to really do well in his conditioning, and it didn’t fall and didn’t drop (off), we would be... In a followup answer, Vrabel further indicated the Patriots would start Hunter at one position and then add more if he proved he could handle it. TUCSON, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 19: Wide receiver Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes during the NCAAF game at Arizona Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona.

The Buffalos defeated the Wildcats 34-7. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) With all three teams picking above the New England Patriots in the 2025 NFL Draft still dealing with uncertainty at the quarterback position, it is looking possible that Heisman winner Travis Hunter could fall... Hunter is viewed by many as one of just two blue-chip players in this draft, but what makes him unique is the fact that he has game-changing upside at two positions - wide receiver... Hunter played both ways full time at Colorado over the last two years. In 13 games in 2024 he caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns while recording four interceptions and 11 pass breakups on defense.

After the season he was named a unanimous All-American on both offense and defense. Could Hunter continue to be a full-time two-way player at the NFL level? Experts are split on that, with the physicality and wear-and-tear that comes with playing down-to-down in the NFL often being cited as a reason it would be unrealistic for Hunter - or any player... <em><sup>Travis Hunter was a standout player both at wide receiver and cornerback for Colorado the last two years. </sup></em> Travis Hunter wants to play both offense and defense in the NFL like he did at Colorado, and the New England Patriots are one team that might be open to letting him do that.

The Patriots have the No. 4 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Hunter is one of the players who could be available at that spot. Mike Vrabel was asked about Hunter on Monday at the NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The Patriots head coach indicated that he would be willing to give Hunter reps at both wide receiver and defensive back. “I think there’s some things he can improve on by probably concentrating on just one position.

But never going to put any restrictions on Travis or any player,” Vrabel said, via Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. “We try as much as they can handle. We’re going to continue to put more on their plate. “If he were on our football team and showed great skill at one position, and started to really do well in his conditioning, and it didn’t fall and didn’t drop (off), we would be... Anything that would help the football team, I’d be all in favor of.” While Vrabel said he would not place restrictions on Hunter, he also noted that he believes there needs to be a “primary focus” for any player who wants to succeed in the NFL.

Mike Vrabel Doesn T Seem Sure That Travis Hunter Could Play Both Sides

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