Travis Hunter, the former HBCU star at Jackson State, wrapped up several national football awards on Thursday. Hunter, who followed coach Deion Sanders to Colorado two seasons ago was honored as the top overall player, the best defensive player and the best wide receiver.
The awards were given out on Thursday at the annual College Football Awards on ESPN. Earlier in the day before the awards show Hunter won the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year award, receiving 26 of 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters.
Once the cameras started rolling Thursday night Hunter kept picking up hardware. He won the Walter Camp Award as Player of the Year and later picked up the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for the best wide receiver.
Hunter became the first player in history to win both the Bednarik and Biletnikoff Awards. He is also the first Bednarik and Biletnikoff Award winner in Colorado history.
“Couldn’t do what I do without my team,” Hunter said in an email to ESPN. “So I view being up for these awards as team awards.”
Hunter shook up the college recruiting world three years ago when he committed to an HBCU as the No. 1 overall player in the country. He flipped his commitment from Florida State to Jackson State to join Sanders, ultimately playing one season in the SWAC.
Hunter is one of four finalists for the Heisman award which will be given out on Saturday night. If he wins he would be the first recipient to ever play a portion of his career at an HBCU.
| Award | Category | 2024 Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Maxwell Award | Player of the Year | Ashton Jeanty, Boise State |
| Walter Camp Award | Player of the Year | Travis Hunter, Colorado |
| Home Depot Award | Coach of the Year | Curt Cignetti, Indiana |
| Jim Thorpe Award | Best Defensive Back | Jahdae Barron, Texas |
| Davey O’Brien Award | Best Quarterback | Cam Ward, Miami |
| Rimington Award | Best Center | Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State |
| Lou Groza Award | Best Placekicker | Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana |
| Butkus Award | Best Linebacker | Jalon Walker, Georgia |
| Doak Walker Award | Best Running Back | Ashton Jeanty, Boise State |
| Biletnikoff Award | Outstanding Receiver | Travis Hunter, Colorado |
| John Mackey Award | Best Tight End | Tyler Warren, Penn State |
| Outland Trophy | Best Interior Lineman | Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas |
| Ray Guy Award | Best Punter | Eddie Czaplicki, USC |
| Bednarik Award | Defensive Player of the Year | Travis Hunter, Colorado |
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy | Defensive Player of the Year | Kyle Kennard, South Carolina |
| Burlsworth Trophy | Top Former Walk-On | Bryce Boettcher, Oregon |
| Disney Spirit Award | Most Inspirational | Richard Bremer and Megan Twist |
| William V. Campbell Trophy | Academic Heisman | Jalen Milroe, Alabama |
| Wuerffel Trophy | Community Service | Nick Dawkins, Penn State |