Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter is one of the top prospects in the upcoming NFL draft, and a player the New England Patriots could potentially draft at No. 4 overall.
Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing said Thursday that he has enjoyed the time he has been able to spend with Hunter this offseason and detailed what he likes about Hunter as a prospect.
“You see his football IQ and understanding of where he fits in zone concepts. He does a great job of finding a way to get open," Downing said, via Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. "He’s a very, very talented individual, and I’ve enjoyed the time that I’ve gotten to talk to him.”
Downing also shared his perspective on Hunter potentially splitting time with both the wide receivers and cornerbacks.
“I think any position coach would look at that situation selfishly and say to get the most out of him and to maximize his potential as a WR, I’d love to have him for every meeting and every drill … As a position coach I’d be fighting for more and more time with him," Downing said.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel also addressed Hunter potentially playing both ways, saying earlier this week that they would be open to having Hunter play on both sides of the ball
"I think there are some things he can improve on by probably concentrating on just one position," he explained. "But never going to put any restrictions on Travis, or any player. We try to—as much as they can handle—we’re going to continue to put more on their plate."
Though Hunter would clearly be an appealing player for the Patriots to draft, the question will be if he's available to the them at No. 4 overall. Both the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants could perhaps draft him, and leave the Patriots without the choice of bringing him in.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patriots Assistant Had Lofty Praise for Travis Hunter Ahead of 2025 NFL Draft.