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Jordan Raanan
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — If Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter gets drafted by the New York Giants third overall next week, he will get his wish to play both cornerback and wide receiver at the NFL level.
“We would not be afraid to play him on both sides of the ball,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen said Wednesday during his annual pre-draft news conference.
Schoen wouldn’t specify whether New York would emphasize one position over the other for Hunter if he lands with the team. Instead, he noted the Giants are in a unique spot where they have three good receivers and are content with their secondary. That would give them options.
Hunter made it clear earlier this week that he wouldn’t be OK with a team telling him he would be limited to either wide receiver or cornerback. His reaction would be harsh.
“It’s never playing football again,” Hunter told CBS Sports. “Because I’ve been doing it my whole life, and I love being on the football field. I feel like I could dominate on each side of the ball, so I really enjoy doing it.”
One NFL general manager told ESPN that Hunter could be a Pro Bowl player at either position. He is that talented and skilled at both. The consensus among NFL sources, however, seems to be that his primary position in the league should be cornerback.
Hunter played 86% of Colorado’s snaps last season, by far the highest in FBS and a pretty even split between offense and defense. Last season, Carolina Panthers cornerback Dane Jackson played 48% of his team’s total snaps, the most of any NFL player.
Schoen knows that it would be “difficult” for Hunter to pull off the double dip at the NFL level. There is both the physical and mental aspects, which could be challenging.
“We’re looking at the workloads and the yardage each day, and then to me what we will have to be settled is the mental part of it, because offense is very hard to learn and then the defense on a weekly basis, it’s not college anymore where, ‘Hey, these are our basic plays, this is our basic defense and we’re going to go play Cover 3 against Kansas, we’re going to play Cover 3 against Nebraska,'” Schoen said. “There’s a lot more week-to-week matchup type stuff that our coaches are doing. So just how much can you handle mentally where you can go out there and execute and they can trust you to do your job.”
The Giants might have no say in the decision. They first have to make sure Hunter is available. He’s considered among the top options for the Cleveland Browns with the second overall pick.
In addition, the Giants will have to decide whether to bypass a quarterback with the No. 3 pick. Hunter’s college teammate, Shedeur Sanders, has been linked to them throughout the process and has a private workout with the team scheduled for Thursday in Boulder, Colorado.
Schoen said the Giants are in a position where they “don’t think it’s mandatory” to draft a quarterback with Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito on the roster. They’re not going to force a pick at the most important position in football at the top of this year’s draft.
If there is a blue-chip or generation talent that is available, “you don’t pass on that type of player,” Schoen said.
Considering Hunter is trying to do something we haven’t fully seen in recent years at the NFL level, he clearly could qualify as blue-chip or generational.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t doubt the kid. He’s that type of athlete,” Schoen said. “He’s had that type of production, the number of snaps he plays in a game, doesn’t sit down, goes over, gets a drink of water and gets back out on the field.
“So, he’s got that type of athleticism, he’s got the right mindset, he’s a great kid. So, I wouldn’t doubt him.”
