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Travis Hunter Addresses Potential Problem If Drafted By The Patriots I

Bonisiwe Shabane
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travis hunter addresses potential problem if drafted by the patriots i

The Patriots' 2024 season was predicted to be similar to how they have fared over the last four years, and because of that, many fans and analysts are already looking ahead to the 2025... Because they already have their quarterback in Drake Maye, the team will have their fair share of options once they're on the clock. They could snag one of the top left tackles available or go after one of the highly touted wide receivers of the class, like Colorado's Travis Hunter; neither would be the wrong choice. There has been a lot of hype surrounding Hunter, who also plays cornerback for the Buffaloes. He is already considered the top prospect of the incoming group of rookies next year and is projected to go first overall. Since the Patriots currently hold that pick, they could easily draft their next WR1 and make Maye's job much easier moving forward.

But with that comes a bit of a controversy, which Hunter addressed during a recent interview. When discussing wearing No. 12 in the NFL, Hunter shared that it likely wouldn't be a number he could easily claim upon joining the league next year. The co-hosts disagreed, to which the dual-threat player shot back, citing the Patriots as an example. After landing second-year QB Drake Maye last offseason, the Patriots want to surround Maye with the best possible supporting cast. To that end, we could debate whether that means building through the trenches or pairing the second-year quarterback with an elite talent at wide receiver.

Although the offensive line and pass-catchers are both critical to building a good offense, high-end wide receivers are one of the most sought-after commodities in the NFL behind only quarterbacks. Based on Pro Football Focus's wins above replacement metric, skill positions such as wide receiver and cornerback are considered the most impactful positions in pro football besides quarterback, speaking to the value of impacting... Remarkably, a player in this year's draft can play both receiver and corner at a high level. From this perspective, the dream draft scenario for the Patriots is that reigning Heisman winner Travis Hunter falls in New England's laps at the fourth-overall pick. Hunter teaming up with Maye to form a formidable QB-WR duo would be ideal. However, as the draft inches closer, it's getting difficult to envision that scenario happening for the Patriots.

At the top of the draft, the Titans seem locked into Miami QB Cam Ward with the number one overall pick. But the Patriots would need the next two picks to be Hunter's college quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, and pass-rusher Abdul Carter to land Hunter. Currently, Hunter makes sense for both the Browns and Giants, who have premier pass-rushers under lucrative multi-year contracts. New York, who controls the Patriots fate with the third-overall pick, already paid edge rusher Brian Burns and drafted Kayvon Thibodeaux fifth-overall in 2022. If he doesn't go in the first two picks, the Giants feel like a Hunter team. Colorado’s Travis Hunter will probably be off the board when the New England Patriots go on the clock with the No.

4 overall pick Thursday night in the 2025 NFL Draft. Regardless, the top wide receiving and cornerback prospect didn’t exactly exude excitement when asked how he would feel about starting his NFL career with the Patriots. “If they come and get me, I ain’t got no choice, but I’d be excited to play with whoever come get me,” Hunter told reporters Wednesday in Green Bay, per Zeke Telemaco. The Cleveland Browns seem like a likely landing spot for Hunter with the No. 2 overall pick. Assuming that Penn State’s Abdul Carter goes next, New England would likely be in line to fill their left tackle vacancy with LSU’s Will Campbell if that’s the route the Patriots choose to go.

The 2025 NFL Draft begins Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET in Green Bay. The New England Patriots have been heavily connected to Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Most fans would love to see the Patriots end up landing Hunter with the No. 4 overall pick. That might not end up being an option, but there are quite a few scenarios where he could fall to New England.

However, even if he is available at pick No. 4, there is no guarantee that Hunter would be the selection. Despite the unknowns, Hunter is a fan favorite and media favorite to end up with the Patriots. There are some questions about his future, most notably about what position he will end up playing in the NFL. During his college career at Colorado, Hunter was a star on both sides of the ball. He was an elite wide receiver and he was also a top-tier cornerback.

New England Sports Network host Travis Thomas has explained his belief that the New England Patriots must draft Colorado Buffaloes star dual-threat player Travis Hunter if he falls to them in next year’s draft. While discussing the 2025 NFL Draft on the Foxboro Rush show, the possibility of trading down or drafting an offensive lineman was floated around by the other co-hosts. In response, Thomas gave a bold statement on the matter. The Patriots have shown improvement since rookie quarterback Drake Maye took over the offense. However, the once-dominant franchise still needs drastic development on both sides of the ball. In the previously mentioned video released to X (formerly known as Twitter), Thomas explained how there was no way the Patriots should overlook Hunter should he fall to them in the draft.

“If they pick 3rd and Travis Hunter is on the board and they don’t take him, I’m blaming you,” he stated. He also referenced how no other situation, whether that be trading down the order or drafting some other position, would be sufficient if Hunter is on the board and available. Phil Perry says Travis Hunter is one of just two blue chip players in this year’s draft. Experts expect Hunter to mainly play on the defensive side of the ball, but Perry argues that he could play wide receiver for the Patriots full time while moonlighting at cornerback. Editor's Note: The New England Patriots have a host of roster needs at critical positions, but which one should they address with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft?

As part of his "The Case For" series, Phil Perry will highlight five different draft-day options for the Patriots and explain why each may (or may not) be the best course of action. Today's scenario involves New England selecting Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. Subscribe to NBC Sports Boston's podcast network to hear our Insiders bring you the latest insights on your favorite teams! The New England Patriots may have a very difficult draft decision on their hands this spring. Every Patriots fan is painfully aware that their team could have had the number-one pick in this draft had they simply lost their final regular-season game against the Buffalo Bills. Instead, rookie quarterback Joe Milton balled out, and New England dropped to number four.

Because the Patriots don't need a quarterback, there are probably three prospects they'll be considering if they stay at the fourth pick: Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter, Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, and LSU... Assuming Carter, the consensus number-one prospect in the draft, doesn't fall to the Patriots, they'll be forced to either take a gamble on Hunter's two-way experiment at the NFL level or go the "safe"... On Monday, Kyle Crabbs of The 33rd Team predicted that New England would gamble on upside. In his 2025 mock draft, Crabbs paired Hunter with the Patriots at the number-four selection. 300+ fan-dedicated sites. Thousands of stories.

Millions of readers. Your No. 1 destination for sports/entertainment coverage and most other awesome stuff. What's in the water in Philly? The Eagles sit atop the NFC East and are the reigning Super Bowl champions. None of that matters to AJ Brown, who was mentioned as a popular (albeit farfetched) trade candidate just a few weeks ago.

Brown stayed put, but that hasn't stopped him from voicing his displeasure about his role in the Eagles offense. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost three of their last four games after Sunday's frustrating shootout defeat against the Buffalo Bills. Despite Baker Mayfield playing at an MVP level, the Bucs couldn't overcome mistakes from their head coach, defensive coordinator and special teams units. Mayfield wasn't perfect. He threw for... There are teams in the NFL who began the 2025 season with high hopes.

Maybe the teams didn't expect to win a Super Bowl, but a playoff berth was clearly in the original plans. Those plans, however, have changed. But why have they changed? Why, for example, is Houston four... Get ready to meet a young purebred Yorkshire Terrier who is looking for a forever family after being rescued from his neglectful previous home. Great Dog Rescue New England (GDRNE), a dedicated foster-based dog rescue in Massachusetts, would like you to meet Benji.

According to the rescue, “Benji was saved as a part of a police operation in Tennessee to shut down a backyard breeder/hoarding situation where he had been used as a male stud dog. Benji is ready to go to his new forever home as soon as possible and is ready to start his next chapter!” Travis Hunter is the unique NFL Draft prospect that has a chance to play multiple positions at a Pro Bowl level. The former Colorado standout is an intriguing wide receiver prospect but he has a chance to be a generational superstar at cornerback. As such, it's no surprise that Hunter is heading to the NFL Combine to potentially participate in drills with other defensive backs. The news that he is not currently listed as a wideout prospect will influence some team's opinions of where he should be drafted.

The Patriots currently hold the No. 4 overall pick and are likely going to be the team most impacted by Hunter's decision to move forward as a cornerback. New England's top offseason priority is to find a new No. 1 wide receiver capable of making life easy for second-year quarterback Drake Maye. The Patriots hired Mike Vrabel to overhaul the team's culture, but helping his young quarterback succeed is also a big part of his remit. The No.

4 overall pick represents a golden opportunity for the Patriots to land a young, cost-controlled pass catcher who can grow alongside Maye. A high-ceiling prospect like Tetairola McMillan could really unlock the team's passing game for years to come. Of course, the Patriots might choose to risk trading out of the fourth spot to gain valuable draft capital and still land a talented wide receiver. They could make that sort of deal with a team that is interested in moving up to grab Hunter. He projects to be the sort of difference-maker who can elevate a playoff team to the heights of being a true Super Bowl contender. To put it simply, the Patriots aren't in the right position to draft a cornerback at No.

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