Travis Hunter couldn’t have had a sweeter ending to his college chapter. It was a rough, lackluster 2023 season for the former Buffs star, who was sidelined for three games with a lacerated liver after the Colorado State game. However, in 2024, he rose like a phoenix. He came with 1258 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he became the 13th player to embed his name in Heisman history. After the picture-perfect ending to his college chapter, he landed it big in the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars traded up to draft Hunter at No. 2 and have already handed him a starting role. However, as college football fans appreciate what he accomplished, placing him in conversations that even put him above a college legend like Cam Newton has sparked a big debate.   

Hunter has that aura with him. Every time he walks into the room, he spreads a vibrant energy. And guess what? He is capable of spreading the same amount of energy on the gridiron as well. Like in the Jaguars’ rookie minicamp debut, the two-way star ran, smiled, worked, and danced. And the head coach, Liam Coen, could not help but applaud Hunter for his dedication.

He shared, “He ran a route Friday where his shoe came off. “It didn’t affect him, and he made a great catch.” So, in a recent interview, Coen was asked about Hunter’s starting position in the Jaguars. He replied, “We’ll have a plan right now of [him playing] primarily on offense, with him learning the defensive system and practicing on the defensive side of the ball as well throughout this offseason program.” Amidst the buzz, Hunter found another spotlight.

On May 10, elitecollegefootball came up with an IG post. The caption read, “The Top 10 Heisman seasons EVER according to @foxsports 👀.” The rankings went like this—2016 Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson at No.10, 2007 Florida quarterback Tim Tebow at No.9, No.8 went to USC 1981 running back Marcus Allen, 2012 TAMU quarterback Johnny Manziel at No.7, followed by 1976 Pittsburgh running back Tony Dorsett and 1997 Michigan defensive back Charles Woodson at No.6 and No.5 respectively.

The top 4 included Auburn 2010 quarterback Newton at No.4, Buffs two-way 2024 phenom Hunter at No.3, LSU 2019 quarterback Joe Burrow at No.2, and the top seat went to Oklahoma State 1988 running back Barry Sanders. 

Talking about the latest winner, Hunter, the Colorado two-way superstar, electrified the sport in a way we’ve never seen before. Along with his prowess as a receiver, he turned heads as a cornerback as he intercepted four passes and had seven pass breakups, 32 tackles, and one forced fumble. So much so that many analysts even compared Hunter with the Michigan defensive back Charles Woodson, the 1997 Heisman winner. And guess what?

It has never been about the former Buffs’ star’s athleticism or versatility that makes him stand out. It’s also his impact on games and on his entire program. He had a big role to play in the Buffs’ glow-up from 4-8 in 2023 to 9-4 in 2024. There came a time when Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty came off as Hunter’s threat as he was almost near to breaking Sanders’ record. However, things turned awry after he struggled with his production coming against Mountain West competition, paving the path for Hunter. The IG post caption had opened the portal for feedback: “Thoughts? ⬇️” That’s where the two-way star caught the maximum heat.  

Fans fume as the Travis Hunter vs. Cam Newton comparison game heats up

Not many know how both Hunter and Newton are very respectful towards one another and share a close bond. The NFL legend was super sure about seeing Hunter on the stage lifting the trophy from the very beginning. “I knew Travis won the Heisman by merely walking into the auditorium.” However, the college football fans are fuming after finding out that Cam Newton got ranked lower while Hunter gets to enjoy a higher seat. Well, they have got their reasons.

Back in 2010, Newton led the Auburn Tigers to a 13-0 record and the National Championship Title. Their season finale was against arch-rival Alabama. Newton and the Tigers spotted the Crimson Tide a 24-0 lead before racing back to win 28-27. Reminding about the legend’s power, a fan commented, “Cam should be top 2 after dragging that Auburn team to a national championship and coming back 24 down to beat Bama.”

Even though Hunter and Newton played for different positions, the comp game entered the chat. After all, Newton became the first player in SEC history to pass for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards. Whereas Hunter finished fifth in receptions (92) and sixth in receiving yards (1,152). Then came a comment, “No universe where Travis Hunter is over Cam Newton 💀.”

Newton was able to end the championship drought that had been there in Auburn since 1957. On the flip side, Hunter failed to bring home the Natty. Thus, a fan commented, “1) Cam newton above hunter all day. Not even a question. Dude literally picked Auburn up and carried them to a natty. & 2) No Reggie bush??”

The former Auburn quarterback was the player to come up with the most rushing touchdowns in a season by a quarterback (30). What about Hunter? He ranked second in the nation in receiving touchdowns (15). That’s why a fan commented, “Idk man Cam to me was better than Trav.”

Newton’s historic college football run earned him the top spot, landing him with the Carolina Panthers as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Fast forward, and Travis Hunter went off as the No. 2 pick. With that kind of comparison floating around, one fan straight-up commented, “Travis over Newton is absolutely insane.” And guess what? Turns out, even before Coach Prime, Newton was actually a mentor figure for the two-way star during his 7-on-7 camp days. They’ve shared a solid bond ever since. Forget the fan arguments; the Heisman icons just have genuine admiration for each other, knowing they were the guys in their respective eras.