GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A little over two years ago he was a graduate of Collins Hill High School in Gwinnett County. Now, we can call him Heisman Trophy winner.
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University of Colorado cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy, given out by the New York Athletic Club to the player they believe was the best, this college football season.
Hunter commanded the presence of almost everyone at his game as he excelled at both positions for the Buffaloes who finished 2024 with their best record in many years at 9-3.
Not only was he Colorado’s leading receiver, with 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, Hunter also had 4 interceptions and 33 tackles on defense.
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The 21-year-old soon-to-be first-round NFL draft pick did not exactly come out of nowhere, though his beginnings were an incredible challenge. Hunter’s family moved from Florida to just outside the Suwanee city limits, which meant he would attend Collins Hill High. He broke the Georgia state record for the most touchdown catches, finishing his high school career with 48 of them and leading his high school to their first-ever state title.
Hunter was heavily recruited by almost every major college football program in the country, but he threw a curveball and signed with Jackson State to play for Head Coach Deon Sanders.
When Sanders left Mississippi to take the job at Colorado, Hunter was one of the first players to follow. He would battle injuries throughout the 2023 season but has been the headliner this year for the Buffaloes as they ver nearly won the Big 12 in their first season in the conference.
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Hunter had already won the Walter Camp Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Fred Biletnikoff Award this season. He was also picked as a first-team All-American and was voted the Big 12′s Defensive Player of the Year.