Sports

Deion Sanders Dumbfounded By Travis Hunter’s College Football Award Snub

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Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter pictured over a background of Folsom Field.

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Colorado football star Travis Hunter is the favorite to win the Heisman trophy. He’s made the cut for a number of college football’s other postseason awards thanks to his play on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

He was NOT a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award, given to the sport’s top defensive back. Head coach Deion Sanders was dumbfounded!

The list of contenders includes Jahdae Brown from Texas, Caleb Downs from Ohio State, and Malaki Starks from Georgia. That finalist reveal sparked controversy among fans on social media.

Travis Hunter’s omission was evident. Many immediately pointed to his play on the field, believing the versatile athlete to be both a top wideout and corner.

Pro Football Focus rated Hunter as the sixth-best cornerback and fourth-best receiver in college football. This year, he’s recorded a team-high three interceptions on top of his 1,000-yard season as a pass catcher. No one’s doing what he’s doing!

That, of course, is the reason he’s the favorite to win the Heisman. Jim Thorpe award voters, however, believed there to be three more deserving players based solely on their production as defensive backs.

Deion Sanders disagreed. He spoke on the snub during his most recent press conference. He’s backing his guy!

“How?” Coach Prime asked. “How is Travis Hunter snubbed by the Jim Thorpe award? You can have my award. You can have it back. As a matter of fact, I’m going to give him mine. I ain’t using it. It’s just sitting up there collecting dust… If this ain’t the most idiotic thing in college football.”

Sanders won the award in 1988 while suiting up for the Florida State Seminoles. He wanted to see Hunter have a chance to take home the prestigious honor, too!

That won’t happen now that he’s been cut from the list. The snub doesn’t sit well with Deion Sanders. That said, Travis Hunter will have plenty of opportunity to bring home hardware in other areas. On top of being considered the Heisman favorite, he’s made the cut for the Biletnikoff, Maxwell, Bednarik, Hornung, and Walter Camp awards.