Did Patriots scout Colorado star Travis Hunter in Week 1? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Colorado football might be a little overhyped, but there’s no denying its roster has some of the top prospects who could be in the 2025 NFL Draft class, and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter is near the top of that list.
The NFL world was watching last Thursday when Colorado hosted FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in their Week 1 matchup. More than half of the league, including the New England Patriots, had scouts in attendance.
“There were 31 scouts and front office personnel on hand Thursday night for Colorado’s 31-26 win over North Dakota State, representing 18 different teams, and the Patriots were one of them, according to the school,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote Sunday.
“Given the team’s ongoing quest for a No. 1 receiver, it might be a preview of how thorough the Patriots will be in their evaluation of Colorado dynamic pass catcher Travis Hunter, who is the No. 9 prospect in ESPN analyst Field Yates’ rankings.”
Hunter played fantastic. He tallied seven receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns in Colorado’s 31-26 win. The play of the game also came from Hunter. His third touchdown catch was unreal.
Hunter played 129 of the 131 combined offensive and defensive snaps in the game. He’s the literal definition of an athlete. He probably will be more of a wide receiver in the pros, but his ability to play both sides of the ball makes him pretty unique in today’s game.
The Patriots absolutely could use a wideout of Hunter’s caliber. New England did draft two wide receivers — Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round and Javon Baker in the fourth round — back in April, and maybe one of them becomes a star. But Hunter is in a different stratosphere.
Hunter isn’t the only elite wideout that Patriots fans should watch this college football season.
Arizona‘s Tetairoa McMillan and Missouri’s Luther Burdern III are both projected top 10 picks in the 2025 draft. McMillan set a school record with 303 receiving yards in Arizona’s Week 1 win over New Mexico. He hauled in four touchdowns as well. Burden caught three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown in Missouri’s win over Murray State. Burden didn’t play the full game due to the lopsided score.
There could be six or seven wideouts selected in the first round of next year’s draft. It’s an exciting wide receiver class, and that’s great news for the Patriots.
