- NCAA Shedeur Sanders knows the truth and keeps it cool amid 'smear campaign' ahead of NFL Draft
- NCAA Travis Hunter finds in Vernon Davis the same belief as Deion Sanders that he won't fail in the NFL
The 2025 NFL Draft is filled with intriguing storylines and is surely teeming with stars-to-be, ready to take the first steps of their journeys in professional football. The first round, taking place on April 24, will answer fans' burning questions about where two of the top players available, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, will start their NFL careers.
Hunter, a two-way phenom who won the Heisman Trophy last season, is widely expected to be a top-five selection, with most expecting him to go second or third overall to the Cleveland Browns or the New York Giants respectively. Sanders' draft slot is less clear, amid a wave of backlash to the quarterback's attitude and so-called lack of professionalism. The "campaign" against Sanders threatens to result in a first-round shock, and Hunter has newly made the case for Sanders to go as high as him.
Hunter: Execs and the media keeps trying to knock us down
Hunter has lashed out at critics who find Sanders' love for cars, music, and jewelry off-putting. The two-year starter at Colorado has been labeled as "brash and arrogant", a characterization that Hunter -- Sanders' teammate at Colorado and at Jackson State University -- finds ridiculous.
"They (are trying to) knock Shedeur down and trying to build somebody else up," Hunter said on his podcast. "We're kinda used to it at this point. Just used to getting knocked down, just for them to see we can prove them wrong. We don't even care no more, we just let people do what they do."
After a 4-8 season in 2023, Hunter and Sanders returned to work at Colorado, determined to finish what they started after transferring from Jackson State. The Buffaloes more than doubled their win total, going 9-4 in 2024; Sanders was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, while Hunter won the Heisman for his sterling performances as a cornerback and as Sanders' favorite target at wide receiver.
Only time will tell whether NFL front offices come back around on Sanders, but Hunter's impassioned defense of his teammate will strike a chord with fans -- and maybe show the league's executives what they got wrong about the 23-year-old quarterback prospect.