As the dust settled on one of the most dramatic NFL Draft manoeuvres of 2025, Shedeur Sanders‘s pride in Travis Hunter was clear.
Hunter, a two-way star at Colorado, was selected second overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars after a bold trade up with the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders, who went on to be taken by Cleveland in the fifth round, later reunited with Hunter at a high-profile event, showing once more the bond between the two.
A reunion in style
On May 16, 2025, both rookies attended the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles for the Panini rookie card signing.
The event featured both Hunter and Sanders receiving their first official NFL trading cards. In a light-hearted moment captured on camera, Shedeur looked straight into the lens and joked: “We definitely the 12’s right now,” referring to their shared decision to wear jersey number 12 in the pros.
Sanders had recently switched his number to 12 upon joining the Browns, drawing a symbolic link both to mentor Tom Brady and to his father Deion Sanders‘s old No. 21, now inverted.
Celebrating success together
Their embrace of each other at the signing signals more than just camaraderie-it illustrates how Shedeur and Hunter continue to uplift each other’s success.
Their connection runs deep, rooted in their college days under Deion Sanders, both at Jackson State and later at Colorado.
Back at draft night, Shedeur and his brother Shilo were gathered with family and friends in Texas. As the Jaguars called Hunter‘s name, the celebration broke out.
Sanders “looked fairly unsurprised and immediately started clapping.” Their father, Coach Prime, shared in the moment as well, captured in a video of them applauding in unison.
Hunter went on to say about his draft experience: “I’m just super excited you know. I get to go back home and also but also somewhere where I wanted to play and so excited that they picked me.”
A growing legacy off the field
Hunter‘s selection was historic. A Heisman Trophy winner and acclaimed two-way talent, his move to Jacksonville made buzz far beyond the field.
While no rookie contracts were detailed in those articles, the sheer excitement around his draft position hinted at a lucrative deal commensurate with a No. 2 overall pick.
Meanwhile, the two rookies’ jersey sales skyrocketed-Hunter‘s jaguar-green shirt topped the charts among 2025 rookies, followed by Sanders in third, underscoring their impact off the field as well.
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