Two-Way players in college football could become the new trend

Travis Hunter at the University of Colorado played on offense and defense last year for the Buffaloes. Hunter followed head coach Deion Sanders over from Jackson State where he starred on both sides of the ball as well.

What positions does Travis Hunter play for Colorado?

On defense, Hunter played cornerback for the Buffaloes in 2023 totaling 30 tackles, three interceptions and five pass deflections in only nine games as a sophomore. On offense, Hunter played wide receiver and caught 57 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns.

Hunter’s athleticism paid dividends and helped the Buffaloes seal some victories that put them over their projected win-loss total for 2023. The excitement of playing both sides of the ball could be a new trend and a recruiting pitch in the future to incoming recruits.

It could also be something other coaches try out with the current players on their roster after seeing how well it panned out with Hunter.

What other recent college football players have played two ways?

Myles Jack

Myles Jack played both linebacker and running back for the UCLA Bruins with linebacker being his primary position. Jack was such a star on the defensive side of the ball that Bruins head coach Jim Mora decided to utilize him at running back. Jack would amass 66 carries for 380 yards and 10 touchdowns in his freshman and sophomore seasons combined.

Jabrill Peppers

Peppers is mostly remembered for his defensive back play and special teams ability with 765 snaps on defense and 171 on special teams. Peppers however also played 50 snaps on offense, scoring five rushing touchdowns for the Wolverines in his final two seasons at the school. He also caught eight passes for 79 yards in his sophomore season.

Some less recent names that may come to mind are Chris Gamble from Ohio State and Charles Woodson from Michigan who both starred at defensive back and played some wide receiver as well for their respective schools.

With the changing landscape of college football and the impressive amount of athleticism from each team, do not be surprised if this become more of a trend in 2024 and beyond.