Travis Hunter is in many ways an NFL Draft prospect unlike any other.
Not only is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner capable of playing on both sides of the ball, he demands it. Hunter said leading up to the draft that he wouldn’t play football if he wasn’t allowed to play both wide receiver and cornerback, so he is set to do what no on else does — at least on a regular basis — once his NFL career begins.
At the Heisman ceremony in December, Hunter gave some insight into where his work ethic originated, shouting out his parents for helping put him in position to succeed.
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Here’s what you need to know about Hunter’s father and why he wasn’t at the ceremony in New York.
Who is Travis Hunter’s dad?
Hunter’s father, Travis Sr., was a high school football and track standout at Boynton Beach High School in Florida. While football was in Travis Sr.’s repertoire, he made a name for himself as a sprinter, setting a school record that still stands today along with three teammates in the 4x100m relay.
Travis Sr. played semi-pro football after graduating high school, pushing off a potential playing opportunity at the junior college level because he had children so young.
“I just want to play ball. I was supposed to go to Dodge, Kansas, but I had two kids so I couldn’t leave them,” he told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 2008.
17 years later, he’s watching his son live out his dream. From top-ranked recruit, to Heisman winner, to likely top-five NFL Draft pick with the ability to play both sides of the ball, the younger Hunter is a one-of-a-kind star — and his athletic genes certainly seemed to come from his father.
Why wasn’t Travis Hunter’s dad at the Heisman Trophy ceremony?
Hunter gave a tearful shoutout to his dad during his Heisman Trophy speech in December, revealing that his father was watching the ceremony from home.
“I know you wanted to be here and you can’t, but trust me, I got you,” Hunter said. “I’m bringing the trophy home. I love you.”
Hunter’s father was released from Palm Beach County West Detention Center nine days before the ceremony, The Palm Beach Post reported. While the conditions of Travis Sr.’s release weren’t known, he was released three weeks early from a 90-day sentence related to a 2023 arrest on gun and drug-related charges.
Still, Hunter’s father told The Palm Beach Post that he was comfortable not being able to attend the ceremony because he knew his son would have even greater achievements in the near future.
“I don’t want to go,” Travis Sr. said. “I want to be there when he gets married and when he gets drafted. I’m going to watch this from home.”
Travis hunter’s dad reacting to his son shoutout is absolutely amazing to watch ❤️ pic.twitter.com/BFQHycf2hJ
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) December 16, 2024
As he promised, Travis Sr. will be at the NFL Draft in Green Bay. He was granted a permission by a court to travel to the draft on Wednesday and return home on Friday, The Palm Beach Post reported, allowing father and son to celebrate the moment together.
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Where is Travis Hunter from?
Hunter was born in West Palm Beach, Florida and lived there until the end of eighth grade, when he moved to the Atlanta area. Hunter played football at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga.
Hunter, his mother, his stepfather and three siblings all lived in a hotel room when they first moved to Georgia, though Hunter spent more than a year living with the family of an assistant coach at Collins Hill.
Hunter was originally set to return to Florida, albeit a much different region of the state, when he committed to play for Florida State, but his stunning flip to FCS Jackson State took him to Mississippi. When coach Deion Sanders left for Colorado, Hunter did as well, going across the country to emerge as one of college football’s most exciting stars.
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