Former Jackson State stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are locks to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft in April. Their college legacies from HBCU football to the Power Five will live on in college football history, and the Colorado Buffaloes will commemorate their impact by officially retiring jersey numbers 2 and 12. The record-setting quarterback and dual-threat Heisman Trophy winner will have their jerseys retired at Colorado’s spring game on Saturday.
Travis Hunter: A Historic College Career
Travis Hunter began his college football journey at Jackson State under head coach Deion Sanders, making history as the highest-ranked recruit to commit to an HBCU. In his freshman season (2022), Hunter displayed his rare two-way talent, contributing at both cornerback and wide receiver. Despite injuries limiting his playing time, he recorded two interceptions, broke up multiple passes, and added two receiving touchdowns. His impact extended beyond the field, helping shine a national spotlight on HBCU football. Hunter’s electric play, versatility, and competitive spirit laid the foundation for his future stardom before following Sanders to Colorado in 2023.
In 2024, he became the consensus national player of the year, winning the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Award, and Player of the Year honors from both the Associated Press and Sporting News. He also repeated as the Paul Hornung Award winner, recognizing him as the nation’s most versatile player.
Hunter dominated on both sides of the ball. He captured the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player, while also winning the Biletnikoff Award, recognizing him as the top receiver in college football—regardless of position.
He is one of only three players in college football history to win eight major awards in a single season. Hunter was a unanimous first-team All-American, earning seven first-team honors (eight total) from the five publications used by the NCAA to determine consensus status. He became the first player ever to receive two first-team honors from the Walter Camp All-America team and is the only known player to earn two first-team and three total AP All-American nods.
In addition to his on-field accolades, Hunter excelled academically. He was named a first-team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators and became just the second CU player ever to be named Academic All-American of the Year across all Division I football.
During his junior season, Hunter recorded 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, setting a CU record for receiving touchdowns and finishing second in receptions and third in receiving yards. He had eight 100-yard receiving games—another school record—and led the team in scoring with 96 points (16 total touchdowns, including one rushing).
Defensively, he tallied 36 tackles, four interceptions, and 11 pass breakups while playing an FBS-leading 1,483 total snaps—accounting for 86.8% of CU’s offensive and 82.9% of defensive snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Hunter graded out at 89.7 as a receiver (highest among Power 4 players with 500+ snaps) and above 90 in coverage, one of only two Power 4 defenders to do so.
Over two seasons at CU, Hunter compiled 153 catches for 1,989 yards and 20 receiving touchdowns, plus a rushing score. Defensively, he added 67 tackles, seven interceptions, 16 pass breakups, and a forced fumble—all while playing 2,625 snaps, despite missing nearly five games due to injury. Travis Hunter led the FBS in total snaps in both 2023 and 2024.
Shedeur Sanders: Record-Breaking Quarterback
Shedeur Sanders made an immediate impact at Jackson State, becoming the first freshman in program history to start at quarterback. Under the guidance of his father, head coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur led JSU to back-to-back SWAC championships in 2021 and 2022. He passed for over 6,900 yards and 70 touchdowns across two seasons, earning SWAC Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors. Known for his accuracy, poise, and leadership, Sanders helped elevate Jackson State to national prominence in the FCS. His success played a key role in the resurgence of HBCU football before transferring to Colorado.
Sanders capped off his time at Colorado with a historic 2024 campaign, earning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation’s top quarterback. He was named a first-team All-American by multiple outlets and earned second-team honors from the AP. Sanders was the unanimous Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and selected first-team All-Big 12 by every major publication.
In 2024, he completed 353 of 477 passes (74.0%) for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions. He posted an NFL QB rating of 117.0 and a college passer rating of 165.9.
During his two years at CU, Sanders threw for 7,364 yards and 64 touchdowns with a completion rate of 71.8%. Over his full collegiate career, he completed 1,267 of 1,808 passes (70.1%) for 14,353 yards and 134 touchdowns—becoming one of just two FBS quarterbacks to surpass 14,000 passing yards while completing 70% of his passes. He also set an NCAA Division I record by throwing a touchdown in 49 consecutive games.
Despite only playing two seasons in Boulder, Sanders owns over 100 CU school records. These include marks for career passing touchdowns, passer rating, and completion percentage, along with the top two seasons in CU history for completion percentage and quarterback rating. He also holds two of the top three CU seasons in passing yards, passing touchdowns, 300-yard games, and games with three or more touchdown passes.
