Where Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter Rank Among Best Teammates in Last 10 NFL Drafts
On Friday, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders will showcase their talents at Colorado's Pro Day. They played together for three years at two different schools and head into the 2025 NFL draft as one of the best collegiate teammate pairings in history.
Based on the premise that both could be top-10 picks, let's go back a decade and rank them among the top collegiate duos based primarily on college production, accolades and draft position.
All 10 pairs must meet one criterion: They play on the same side of the ball, either offense or defense. Because draft position plays a significant factor in these rankings, all players listed below are top-12 picks from their respective drafts. NFL production isn't a factor.
In close ranks, we have used accolades and how long teammates played together to determine which duo ranks higher than the other. Each slide has the player's draft position and collegiate production at the top.
10. QB Tua Tagovailoa and OT Jedrick Wills Jr.
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Tua Tagovailoa: No. 5 overall (2020); 7,442 passing yards, 87 TDs, 11 INTs, 107 rush attempts for 340 yards, 9 TDs
Jedrick Wills Jr.: No. 10 overall; N/A
Tua Tagovailoa replaced Jalen Hurts in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship and made the most of the opportunity, leading Alabama to a title that year. He went on to start the following two years with the Crimson Tide.
In 2018, Alabama racked up the third-most passing yards thanks to the quarterback's pinpoint accuracy from the pocket, and he had help up front from Jedrick Wills Jr., who developed into one of the best tackles across the nation.
Wills helped protect Tagovailoa for most of 2018 and 2019, which helped Alabama open up its offense through the air. The duo saw their stock rise, though the signal-caller suffered a season-ending injury in his final collegiate season.
Tagovailoa and Wills make the list because they were top-10 picks in the 2020 draft, and both were second at their respective positions in draft status.
9. QB Bryce Young and RB Jahmyr Gibbs
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Bryce Young: No. 1 overall (2023); 8,356, 80 TDs, 12 INTs, 139 rush attempts for 162 yards, 7 TDs
Jahmyr Gibbs: No. 12 overall (2023); 2,132 rushing yards, 15 TDs, 104 catches, 1,217 yards, 8 TDs
Bryce Young's Heisman Trophy gives this pair a boost over the 2020 Alabama duo. In 2021, he finished second among FBS collegians in passing yards (4,872).
In two years as a full-time starter, Young spread the ball around, particularly in his last year at Alabama, without elite wide receiver talent. He developed a strong rapport with Jahmyr Gibbs between 2021 and 2022.
In 2022, Gibbs led Alabama's passing offense in catches (44), racking up 444 yards with three touchdown receptions. He also led the team in rushing yards (926), averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Even though Gibbs wasn't a top-10 pick, he went earlier than some expected, and the Detroit Lions received heavy criticism for the selection. As the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft, Young's status pushed this tandem to the No. 9 spot.
8. G Quenton Nelson and OT Mike McGlinchey
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Quenton Nelson: No. 6 overall (2018); N/A
Mike McGlinchey: No. 9 overall (2018); N/A
During a two-year span, Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey generated buzz and became two accomplished offensive linemen at Notre Dame. They also brought physicality to the Fighting Irish's offense.
In 2016, Nelson earned second-team All-American and Notre Dame Offensive Lineman of the Year honors. In 2017, he became the sixth Fighting Irish player to garner unanimous All-American recognition.
In 2016, McGlinchey made the second-team All-American list and earned a first-team All-American honor after the following term. Notre Dame named him team captain in his last two years on campus.
With Nelson and McGlinchey up front, running back Josh Adams saw a steady increase in his rushing yard totals between 2015 and 2017. He averaged at least 5.9 yards per carry in all three campaigns.
As established prospects and top-nine picks playing within the same position group, Nelson and McGlinchey are the best offensive-line tandem in terms of draft status over the last decade.
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7. QB CJ Stroud and OT Paris Johnson
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C.J. Stroud: No. 2 overall (2023); 8,123 passing yards, 85 TD, 12 INTs, 80 rush attempts for 136 yards, TD
Paris Johnson: No. 6 overall (2023); N/A
C.J. Stroud took over Ohio State's offense and posted gaudy passing numbers in 2021 and 2022. Yes, he played with multiple elite receivers who became first-round picks, but the signal-caller also had reliable pass protection.
Stroud didn't have to rush for a ton of yards or move off his spot in the pocket much in two years as a starter. Paris Johnson started at right guard and left tackle, helping the QB stay upright and creating lanes for the Buckeyes' ground game.
Remember, Ohio State fielded the No. 1 scoring offense in 2021 and the No. 2 scoring unit the following year. Stroud was comfortable in the pocket. TreVeyon Henderson averaged 6.8 yards per carry while Johnson lined up at guard. The former Ohio State offensive lineman earned first-team All-American recognition following the 2022 season.
Stroud and Johnson came into the NFL as top-six picks, which pushes them to the No. 7 spot.
6. WR Jaylen Waddle and WR DeVonta Smith
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Jaylen Waddle: No. 6 overall (2021); 106 catches for 1,999 yards, 17 TDs, 4 rush attempts for 17 yards
DeVonta Smith: No. 10 overall (2021); 235 catches for 3,965 yards, 46 TDs, 4 rush attempts for 6 yards, TD
Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith get the No. 6 spot because of their production on the field together over three terms. In 2020, Smith also became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991.
At Alabama, they were dynamic pass-catchers who stretched the field. They finished their collegiate careers averaging more than 16.8 yards per reception.
Though Waddle's collegiate numbers don't compare to Smith's, he went four spots before his Alabama teammate in the 2021 draft. They were the second and third receivers to hear their names called in the selection process.
Both top-10 picks, with a Heisman Trophy between them, Waddle and Smith are among the top wide receiver duos in recent memory. That said, Waddle's average receiving numbers, partly because of injury in his final collegiate term, kept this tandem out of a top-five spot.
5. WR Garrett Wilson and WR Chris Olave
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Garrett Wilson: No. 10 overall (2021); 143 catches for 2,213 yards, 23 TDs, 6 rush attempts for 143 yards, TD
Chris Olave: No. 11 overall (2021); 176 catches for 2,711, 35 TDs, 3 rush attempts for 5 yards
Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave played together for three seasons at Ohio State. They were key contributors to the aerial attack between 2020 and 2021.
In 2021, they were part of an elite wide receiver trio that included Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Though Smith-Njigba led Ohio State in catches and receiving yards that year, Wilson and Olave were scoring machines, combining for 25 touchdown receptions in an offense that ranked third in passing yards among FBS schools.
Wilson and Olave went back-to-back in the 2022 draft as the second and third receivers, respectively, in order at their position.
They cracked the top five because they were the Buckeyes' one-two punch in the passing game for the 2020 season and posted eye-catching touchdown numbers despite competing with Smith-Njigba for targets in the following year.
4. WR Rome Odunze and QB Michael Penix Jr.
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Rome Odunze: No. 8 overall (2024); 214 catches, 3,272 yards, 24 TDs, 10 rush attempts for 40 yards, 2 TDs
Michael Penix Jr.: No. 9 overall (2024); 13,741 passing yards, 96 TDs, 34 INTs, 134 rush attempts for 265 yards, 13 TDs
Together, Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze elevated the Washington Huskies offense. In 2022 and 2023, the former targeted the latter heavily, and the team fielded a top-two passing offense in both terms.
After suffering four season-ending injuries while at Indiana, Penix managed to stay on the field for two full campaigns at Washington and showcased himself as a top draft prospect going into 2024.
Odunze benefitted significantly from Penix's transfer to the Huskies, seeing his receiving yard totals more than double compared to his second term.
They led a juggernaut offensive attack and nearly piloted Washington through an undefeated season in 2023. Though they came up short against Michigan's stifling defense in the College Football Playoff National Championship, it didn't hurt their draft stock.
As top-10 picks with strong production at their respective positions, Penix and Odunze get the No. 4 spot.
3. Edge Chase Young and CB Jeffrey Okudah
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Chase Young: No. 2 overall (2019); 99 tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 30.5 sacks, 8 pass breakups, 9 forced fumbles
Jeffrey Okudah: No. 3 overall (2019); 84 tackles, 1 for loss, 3 INTs
In 2019, Ohio State had an elite pass-rusher and lockdown cornerback, which explains why the Buckeyes allowed the fourth-fewest points that year.
Chase Young and Jeff Okudah played through three terms together, though they made their presence felt in a significant way in their last collegiate campaign.
In 2019, Young led the FBS in sacks (16.5) and finished fourth in tackles for loss (21). Meanwhile, opposing quarterbacks preferred to avoid Okudah in coverage, though he still recorded nine pass breakups and three interceptions.
That year, Young and Okudah earned consensus All-American honors. NFL teams recognized them as key contributors in a dominant defense. They were both top-three picks, which is a rare feat for teammates on the same side of the ball.
2. WR/CB Travis Hunter and QB Shedeur Sanders
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Travis Hunter: B/R's No. 1 prospect; 171 catches for 2,167 yards, 24 TDs, 3 rush attempts for -5 yards, TD, 86 tackles, 3 for loss, 9 INTs, 26 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery (Jackson State stats included)
Shedeur Sanders: B/R's No. 24 prospect; 14,347, 134 TDs, 27 INTs, 399 rush attempts for 30 yards, 19 TDs (Jackson State stats included)
Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders have been lighting up defenses since 2022, dating back to their time at Jackson State. In 2023, they transferred to Colorado and didn't skip a beat going against Big 12 competition.
Hunter is a two-way player and a two-time All-American. He also won multiple prestigious awards, including the 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award for Defensive Player of the Year, the Walter Camp Award for Most Outstanding Player and the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
As a unique and accomplished prospect, Hunter will likely be a top-five pick who could become a dynamic receiver or a lockdown cornerback in the pros.
Sanders has fewer awards than his teammate, but he's one of the top quarterbacks in the class after posting impressive passing numbers over the last three years.
In 2024, he finished within the top five across the nation in completion percentage (74 percent), passing yards (4,134) and passer rating (168.21), earning the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Hunter and Sanders could be top-three picks in the upcoming draft, which would move them up to the No. 1 spot on this list in hindsight. That said, Sanders has a lower floor than Hunter in his potential draft landing spots.
Regardless, this duo has the accomplishments and the production to firmly claim the No. 2 spot.
Travis Hunter's potential landing spots: Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, New England Patriots
Shedeur Sanders' potential landing spots: Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders
1. QB Jayden Daniels and WR Malik Nabers
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Jayden Daniels: No. 2 overall (2024); 12,749 passing yards, 89 TDs, 20 INTs, 617 rush attempts for 3,307 yards, 34 TDs
Malik Nabers: No. 6 overall (2024); 139 catches for 3,003 yards, 21 TDs, 6 rush attempts for 29 yards
In 2022, Jayden Daniels transferred from Arizona State to LSU, and this quarterback-receiver pair built an immediate connection on the field.
In their first year together, Malik Nabers led LSU in catches (72) and receiving yards (1,017) by a wide margin. In 2023, he made more explosive plays, averaging 17.6 yards per reception. He again led the Tigers in receptions (89) and receiving yards (1,569).
In their last collegiate season, Daniels and Nabers were consensus All-Americans. The quarterback won the Walter Camp Award for Most Outstanding Player and the Heisman Trophy.
Daniels was the second signal-caller to hear his name called in last year's draft, and Nabers led the wide receiver class in draft position. As top-six picks, with two years of high-end joint production and accolades, they're the top collegiate teammates since 2015.
Individual player statistics are provided by sports-reference.com.
College team and player stat rankings are provided by cfbstats.com.
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