Is Heisman next award for Hunter?
Colorado’s Travis Hunter, one of the rarest players to grace college football in generations, won both the Chuck Bednarik and Biletnikoff Awards Thursday.
It is not just that Hunter won those two awards on the same day that is noteworthy. It is what these two awards represent that shows just how much of a unicorn this two-way phenom has become over the last two seasons, especially in 2024.
The annual Bednarik prize is given to the nation’s best defensive player, as judged by the Maxwell Football Club. Hunter earned it as a cornerback. The Biletnikoff Award, named after Oakland Raiders’ Hall of Fame wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, goes to the nation’s best receiver.
If Hunter managed to take some snaps as Colorado’s emergency punter, we figure he’d win the Ray Guy Award to boot. He also won the Maxwell Camp Award as the Player of the Year.
Winning a Best Defensive Player and Offensive (positional) Player award is an unprecedented and remarkable feat. It seems to cement Hunter’s status as the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. The other three Heisman finalists are Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Boise State running Ashton Jeanty, and Cam Ward, a quarterback from the University of Miami.
College football’s grandest individual award will be announced tomorrow night, December 14, in New York City.
The numbers Hunter put up this year confirm he is much more than a novelty for playing two-way football. He’s a game-changer on both sides of the ball.
In 14 games at wide receiver this season, Hunter caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns. For wideouts, his reception and TD totals lead the nation. With the ball in his hands, Hunter is one of the most electrifying players in college football, a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Moreover, his athleticism, speed, and hands/ability to make contested catches make him a top prospect as a receiver at the NFL level.
On defense, Hunter is a lockdown corner who’s as adept at making game-defining plays when breaking on a pass or supporting the run as he is at catching throws from Shadeur Sanders. Hunter picked off four passes this season and recorded eight passes defensed, along with a forced fumble. He had games where he stuffed the stat sheet, such as his outing against Utah (three solo tackles, one interception and a FF).
Maybe the most impressive stat is the one showcasing his stamina and durability. In 2024, Hunter played an eye-popping 713 defensive snaps in 14 games (per Pro Football Focus) — an average of almost 51 snaps (50.9) on defense per game. On offense, he was in on 709 plays, or 50.6 per game. He was also on the field for 21 special teams plays, for a total of 1,443.
We don't know whether cast bronze can be molded and set on such short notice. Still, it would seem fitting to create a bust specifically to honor Hunter’s singular dual-threat football presence: perhaps a trophy made of two Heisman busts welded together, each facing a different direction.
College football 2024 award winners
Davey O’Brien Award (Best QB): Miami quarterback Cam Ward
Chuck Bednarik Award (Best Defensive Player): Colorado defensive back Travis Hunter
John Mackey Award (Best TE): Penn State tight end Tyler Warren
Butkus Award (Best LB): Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker
Campbell Trophy (Scholar/Athlete): Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe
Doak Walker Award (Best RB): Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty
Outland Trophy (Best IOL): Texas offensive lineman Kelvin Banks
Burlsworth Trophy (Walk-On): Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher
Wuerffel Trophy (Community Service): Penn State offensive lineman Nick Dawkins
Nagurski Trophy (Best defensive player): South Carolina defensive end Kyle Kennard
Rimington Trophy (Best Center): Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin
Jim Thorpe Award (Best DB): Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron
Biletnikoff Award (Best WR): Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter
Home Depot Coach of the Year: Curt Cignetti of Indiana
Ray Guy Award (Best Punter): USC punter Eddie Czaplicki
Buddy Teevens Award (Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football): Army head coach Jeff Monken
Lou Groza Award (Best kicker): Louisiana place kicker Kenneth Almendares
Maxwell Award (Best Player): Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty