Travis Hunter might have one more trick up his sleeve at the end of an unprecedented season.
The favorite to win the Heisman Trophy because of his two-way stardom at receiver and cornerback for Colorado was asked Saturday morning on “SportsCenter” to name the biggest celebrity he has heard from to offer congratulations.
“You’ll see tonight,” Hunter said, teasing the 8 p.m. ceremony held in New York. “He is actually coming up, so you’ll see him.”
Let the guessing game begin.
Hunter already has a famous athlete in his corner as Colorado head coach Deion Sanders — a Pro Football Hall of Famer — considers him to be like another son.
Hunter’s best friend and quarterback at Colorado is Deion’s actual son, Shedeur Sanders.
Hunter and the younger Sanders are competing to be the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft along with Miami quarterback and Heisman finalist Cam Ward.
The prospect whose name is called first ultimately could be decided by whether the team holding that pick is starved for a franchise quarterback (like the Giants and Raiders) or not (like the Jaguars and Patriots).
There has been a lot of speculation that Deion Sanders might follow Colorado’s two stars to the NFL as a head coach.
The Jets, Bears and Saints have vacancies, and many more jobs could open soon, including at the Giants and Sanders’ beloved Cowboys.
But Hunter said not so fast on Deion leaving Colorado.
“I got a lot of insight,” Hunter said. “He ain’t going anywhere.”
Hunter’s award season already has been historically fruitful.
He won the Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in college football and the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football.
Giants star receiver Malik Nabers — who was playing catch with the younger Sanders in the streets of New York on Friday night — is in awe of Hunter’s two-way ability and thinks that he should win the Heisman and then try to stay at both positions in the NFL.