For the Hunter family, Travis is basically Boynton Beach’s athletic royalty. But behind the catchy headlines and highlight reels is a family that shaped him during moments of uncertainty. Grandma Shirley, a successful sprinter in the 70s at Atlantic High School, had eight kids—five boys and three girls. While the boys played football, the two girls ran track, and another experimented with gymnastics. Grandma would often say to a four-year-old Travis, “Go outside and play football with your cousins.” As simple as that. And in order to do that, it was on the prerogative of his mother, Ferrante Edmonds, who did what needed to be done, even if it meant uprooting her family from Florida to settle in Georgia.

Travis is in a league of his own today. He went as the No. 2 pick to the Jags, collected a Heisman on the way there after breaking a 30-year drought in school history, and became one of the most special players in football. That two-way playing ability makes him a member of the very elite club, which hosts his former coach, Deion Sanders. But Hunter, what 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins would come to quote as “a generational type of talent” in 2021, is not just a one-man project.

The player came with a prep career that entailed more than 3,600 yards, 46 TDs, and 19 interceptions. 1,128 of them came in his senior season, that too after missing five games due to an injury. He created near history during his time in Colorado, playing the most snaps in college football, at least in 2024. “You can make mistakes, but that doesn’t define who you are. It only matters if you stop. Look at him now” is what Edmonds preached as she took a long, hard look at the career leading up to his Heisman Trophy win. And now that he’s moving on to open a new chapter in Jacksonville, Edmonds posted on her Instagram, headlining her son’s elite status:

“God didn’t bring you this far to leave you ordinary. There’s royalty in your bloodline, victory in your steps, and purpose in your breath. Walk like it,” the post read. Edmonds has been a pillar of support throughout her son’s career. She welcomed him very early on in her life and weathered many troubles to see Hunter where he is today. She said the night when Hunter accepted his Heisman Trophy that he was her “biggest blessing.” But talking about bloodlines, Hunter truly does come with football in his blood.

Travis Hunter Sr. also played football, but not on the scale that his son plays. He was a track-and-field hero in high school, where he also grew as a football player. Hunter Sr. played semipro football in the Florida Football Alliance and Southern States Football League. In the latter, he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year for the latter in 2007.

Travis Hunter made sure to let him know of the role he’s played in his life when he won the Heisman. His father couldn’t make it to the event, as he was serving time for charges. “Dad, I love you. All the stuff you went through, man. Now, look at your oldest son. I did it for you, man,” he said while fighting tears.

“When you have a child, it takes a village to help with that child,” Edmonds told People before the draft. She had to rely on many people to help Hunter become the unicorn-like star he’s become. One of them is Deion Sanders, who will always hold a special place in Hunter’s heart, as he continues to soar in his career.

Travis Hunter leaves Deion Sanders with a strong message!

Coach Prime is not only a father to his sons—that role is something he’s adopted for other players on his team. The relationship he shares with his players is special, which lacks the air of formality that you generally see in the sport. While Sanders remained instrumental in his son Shedeur’s career, he was also an equally important figure in Hunter’s life. He dropped by Boulder recently as he moved away to Florida to connect with the place that made him the guy he is.

Hunter and Sanders picked up on their banter like it was just yesterday the former played his last snap for Colorado. They pulled each other’s legs about fishing and whatnot, but this was also an important moment. He was bidding adieu to the man who helped him further his dual-playing abilities. “I put a whole AirTag in every box,” Hunter continued to joke. But then, he also calmly dropped an ice-cold statement as a signature of what he’s achieved in his career. “I ain’t got nothing that can break. The only thing I got is trophies.” That’s Travis Hunter in his own words.

Deion Sanders knows how special Hunter is since he was the last memorable player who also made waves by playing both sides of the ball. As he looks on at the star WR’s future career, he knows that there will be no one like No. 12 in college football. Edmonds claiming “royalty” in Hunter is not far off from the truth, because players like Hunter in the NFL are nothing short of a blue moon. What do you think?