Mel Kiper Jr.: Travis Hunter's Best Position Divides NFL Insiders amid Draft Rumors

Travis Hunter has been fantastic for Colorado as a dual-threat receiver and cornerback, but as ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. noted Thursday, there is debate within NFL circles whether he should operate primarily on the offensive or defensive side of the ball at the next level.

"This is people in the league. Every time I get a call. 'OK, Travis Hunter, where do you think he should be a priority, in terms of position, focus on the defensive secondary or the receiving entity? Where is he?' They're all over the place. It's 50-50. A split," he said on First Draft (5:45 mark). "Every time I get a different answer. So nobody's in agreement as to what his primary position will be, and what it should be. So when you get Hunter and you get this great receiver and great corner, how do you balance that out? How do you sprinkle him in? What position is he best suited for to maximize that talent? We're gonna be debating that even once he's in the league."

Hunter makes the case to be a top-five pick at either position.

On the offensive side of the ball, he's caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season alongside one rushing score. Defensively, he's notched 31 tackles, four interceptions, 11 passes defensed and a forced fumble despite quarterbacks often ignoring his side of the field.

He's the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy for a reason, but it would be unheard of for him to focus full-time on both sides of the ball at the next level. That level of responsibility, workload and physical strain on the body over a 17-game season is too intense an ask, so he'll have to specialize more on one side of the ball than other.

The safest bet is probably remaining at cornerback and having a package of plays designed for him at receiver, similar to how Deion Sanders was utilized. But the team that drafts him will have an interesting decision on its hands.