The Fisherman Who Can Do It All

Travis Hunter is a name that has been making waves in the sports world, and it's not just because of his football skills. This young athlete has a passion that goes beyond the football field: fishing. Hunter's love for fishing started in his childhood, growing up near canals and ponds in Florida. Now, at just 21 years old, he has become quite the angler, with a personal best of a 12-pound bass. Hunter's fishing skills are impressive. He can read a body of water like a book, knowing exactly where the bass might be hiding. He understands the importance of lure choice, water conditions, and weather variables. He pilots a boat with confidence and has the stamina to go all day, just like on the football field. In fact, his fishing skills are so good that a professional angler, Matt Becker, was impressed after spending a day with him on a lake in Florida. Becker even suggested that if Hunter focused on fishing as much as he does on football, he could be a tournament angler. But fishing is not just a hobby for Hunter. It's a way for him to unwind and find peace. On a day spent fishing with a group, Hunter kept fishing long after the designated stopping time. He was so engrossed in his fishing that he even missed a scheduled yoga session back at the ranch. This shows how much he loves fishing and how it helps him escape the pressures of being a rising star in the sports world. Hunter's love for fishing is not just about the sport itself. It's also about the camaraderie and teamwork it involves. On a fishing trip with a group, Hunter was every bit as excited as anyone else when a big fish was caught. He even helped adjust the drag on the reel when it wasn't working properly, showing his team spirit and willingness to help others. Hunter's football career is also impressive. He is a two-way star, playing both wide receiver and defensive back at an All-American level. He defied 60 years of precedent by averaging more than 100 snaps a game and intends to keep defying precedent as a professional. His football skills are so good that he is projected to be a top-three pick in the NFL draft. Hunter's journey to becoming a top football player has not been easy. He grew up in a rough neighborhood in Boynton Beach, Florida, but he made the best of it. He moved to suburban Atlanta with his family when he was in his early teens and spent more than a year living with one of his team's assistant coaches. Despite the instability, Hunter's love for football and drive to excel never wavered. Hunter's football career took a turn when he committed to Florida State in March 2020. He eventually became the No. 1 recruit nationally in the class of 2022. But on National Signing Day in December 2021, Hunter shocked the football world by flipping his commitment to Jackson State, an HBCU at the FCS level. The reason was Deion Sanders, who presented a compelling pitch to Hunter: If you want to play both ways at defensive back and wide receiver, learn how from someone who did it at the highest level. Hunter's first year at Jackson State was primarily an immersion in playing defense with some dabbling on offense. But by the time Colorado hired Sanders before the 2023 season, Hunter was as much a part of Coach Prime's family as his sons Shedeur, a quarterback who could also be a top-five pick, and Shilo, a defensive back who could be a late-round selection. They transferred as a package, arriving in Boulder with a lot to prove. Hunter's football skills are so good that he is projected to be a top-three pick in the NFL draft. But beyond team interviews at the NFL combine and working out at Colorado's pro day in early April, there isn't a lot more Hunter can do to control where his future lies. So until the draft, he's hunkering down on the Texas prairie to work out and catch fish.