Deion Sanders says Jaguars’ Travis Hunter is a big play waiting to happen

Brian Schaible

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Deion Sanders says Jaguars’ Travis Hunter is a big play waiting to happen image

On the latest episode of Coach Prime’s Playbook with Romi Bean, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders spoke with the authority of someone who has lived every step of Travis Hunter’s football journey. From coaching him in Boulder to watching him battle NFL stars, Sanders insisted that Hunter’s mentality has not changed.

“I don’t know if it’s a learning and growing type of thing,” Sanders said. “He wants the smoke. He wants the heat. He wants them to try him. The more they use him, the more other teams try him, you’re gonna see the plays. He’s gonna start making the plays.”

The comment came after Hunter’s reps against Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro Ja’Marr Chase, including a controversial pass interference call on fourth down. “It was a great play,” Sanders said. Romi Bean quickly agreed: “I thought it was a great play as well.”

For Sanders, who recruited, coached, and mentored Hunter, the expectation is clear: Hunter’s competitiveness will translate. But Sanders also wants to see more chances for his former star on offense. “I just want to see them do a better job of getting him more involved in the offense because he’s a big play waiting to happen.”

Romi pointed out the staggering workload Hunter has already shouldered. “His reps were split pretty evenly this week,” she said. “Over 40 on offense, over 40 on defense.”

Sanders then offered a blunt reality check about how the NFL works. “You got to understand it’s a lot of people on that team making a lot of money. And you got to throw the ball to the guys who makes the most money. That’s kind of how the pecking order is in the NFL until he gets a consistency of balls thrown his way and he start making the plays.”

For Coach Prime, it all circles back to what he already knows that Travis Hunter just wants the challenge. Or, as Prime put it, “He just wants to get in there and do his thing.”

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Brian Schaible

Brian Schaible is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is an award-winning journalist with over 25 years of experience covering college and professional sports. Brian holds a master’s degree in journalism/public relations from Kent State University.