There’s a pretty good chance that Travis Hunter was wide awake at the time this article was published.
Like most fishermen, he rises when the fish do.
As the 2025 NFL Draft is just hours away, it’s Hunter who will be one of the biggest catches in the first round. Among the question marks surrounding the dynamic two-way star is how he’ll be able to balance being a wide receiver and a cornerback in the NFL.
Along with the physical toll he’ll take on, Hunter will have to manage meetings and practice reps for both sides of the ball.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski is one who is confident the early riser will have enough time in the day to make it work.
“Travis is somebody that is uniquely equipped to do both,” Stefanski said Wednesday, via team transcript. “You know, I remember having a conversation with him about, there’s only so many hours in the day, so you’re going to have to meet extra with this coach or that coach, and he made a comment that he’s a fisherman. He gets up at 5 in the morning quite often, so that’s not a problem for him in terms of maximizing his day.”
Hunter maximized his play over the past two seasons at Colorado, averaging an FBS-high 111.5 snaps per game when no other player has averaged more than 78 since at least 2015, per NFL Research.
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner’s stamina is something to behold, but his talent is just as impressive. In the eyes of many, Hunter is the top cornerback and the top wide receiver available in the draft.
Able to give a franchise a two-for-one pick essentially, Cleveland could certainly use Hunter in more ways than one.
Many believe he’ll land in The Land.
Should that happen, Stefanski is of the mind that it’ll be incumbent upon the team and Hunter to have a plan on how to manage utilizing him.
“He’s unique, as we all know, and not many have done it how he’s done at the collegiate level,” Stefanski said. “So you want to take his input in it. But I think we and every team that’s in the top of this draft has to come up with a plan of how you would see it. But then you really have to be able to adjust to what the player is doing really well, or maybe, ‘Hey, we need to do a little bit less of this and more of that,’ or vice versa. I think it’s really so incumbent upon the player and what they’re able to handle early.”
Whether it’s the fisherman at 5 a.m. or the Browns at No. 2 on Thursday night, those who rise early seem bound to get the big fish and the best results.