A cornerback with the instincts of a wide receiver. A No. 1 recruit who played every down like it was his last. A young man without a stable home who found refuge in football. That’s been the life of Travis Hunter-marked by contrasts long before he became the symbol of a new era led by Deion Sanders.
Hunter didn’t always have cameras and bright lights. Before making headlines at Jackson State and then at Colorado, he was a kid sleeping in a cramped motel room in Suwanee, Georgia-sharing a bed with his mother, stepfather, and three younger siblings. In that tiny space, a huge conviction was born: he had to get out.
A move, a new beginning
At 14, his family left Boynton Beach in search of opportunity. The destination: Suwanee. First they stayed with friends, then moved into a motel. His stepfather took him to Collins Hill High School with a bold promise: “My stepson is going to be a star.”
At first, there was skepticism. But one practice changed everything.
“When we saw him train, we said, ‘Damn, this kid is legit,'” recalled coach Drew Swick. From that moment on, Travis never looked back.
Out of struggle, fire was born
In a recent interview with Brent Martineau of Action Sports Jax, Hunter reflected on those hard times. When asked if he would have become the same person without that move, he didn’t hesitate:
“I couldn’t tell you. Maybe… but without that energy, without that drive.”
Then he shared a line that defines his story:
“When my mom moved me, I felt like I had no other family. It was just me. I had to go to work.”
That “work” meant early mornings at the gym, reps until exhaustion, late nights watching game tape. Four years of high school. Three in college. Every stage was a hard-fought win.
He found a home, he found his voice
By his junior year of high school, the family’s finances hadn’t improved-but Travis had. He was already an elite recruit, quiet but determined. When his home environment couldn’t offer the stability he needed, he moved in with Collins Hill assistant Frontia Fountain.
“He needed a place to breathe. A place to grow without just trying to survive every morning,” Fountain told The Athletic.
At Jackson State and later at Colorado, Hunter became more than just a player: cornerback, wide receiver, return man, leader. In two years: 96 receptions, 1,258 yards, 15 touchdowns, 35 tackles. And a mindset that refuses to settle.
“When I get to the NFL, I have to go all in. I can’t leave. And once I make it… then I can sit back and relax.”
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