Right now, Florida State could use both. And they almost had him.

Hunter had verbally chosen FSU as the No. 1 recruit in 2022. But on national signing day in December 2021, he surprisingly chose coach Deion Sanders and Jackson State, an HBCU that immediately jumped into the national spotlight with his commitment.

Now he and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s son, are both Heisman Trophy contenders in Colorado after starting at Jackson State. Why did he decide to step away from his commitment to FSU? He talked about it on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday.

Travis Hunter explains why he chose Deion Sanders over Mike Norvell and FSU football

Hunter committed to Florida State in March 2020 when he was still an unranked prospect. But his reputation quickly grew, and he eventually became a five-star prospect with offers from some of the biggest programs in the country, including Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oklahoma. In the years that followed, however, Hunter repeatedly said those other teams got in too late and that he chose FSU, which would get its first No. 1 recruit according to 247 Sports’ Composite Rankings since linebacker Ernie Sims in 2003.

But at the last minute, Hunter changed his mind and transferred to a university that has traditionally been dominated by blacks. Sanders, himself a two-way football star, made the difference, Hunter said Saturday on College GameDay.

“Yeah, that was definitely a big factor,” Hunter said before his Buffaloes played Nebraska. “I mean, he said he was going to give me that chance. You know, other coaches said they were going to put a package together for me, and I didn’t want that. I can’t just have a package, I have to be in the game. I just knew Coach Prime was going to let me shine, so I took my chance.”

At the time, Hunter said he made the move because he wanted to be part of the HBCU tradition, citing football greats Jerry Rice, Doug Williams and Walter Peyton. “Historically, black colleges and universities have a rich football tradition,” he said on social media after the announcement. “I want to be part of that history and more than that, I want to be part of that future. I’m making this decision so I can pave the way for others and make it a little easier for the next player to realize that HBCUs can be everything you want them to be and more: an exciting college experience, a vibrant community and a life-changing place to play football.”

NIL deals were believed to also facilitate Hunter’s transfer to Jackson State. Sanders also worked as a content creator for Barstool Sports and rumors circulated that Hunter was promised a seven-figure deal with Barstool as part of the contract package. Sanders said those rumors were false.

This is how Florida State reacted to Travis Hunter’s cancellation

The move was a major blow to Mike Norvell’s recruiting class, with fans sharing their outrage on social media, including at least one fan burning his Deion Sanders FSU jersey.

Longtime FSU fan burns his Deion Sanders jersey after Travis Hunter slip-up

Daniel Grant, a longtime Florida State Seminoles fan, set fire to his Deion Sanders souvenir jersey after Sanders’ Jackson State poached the Noles’ top recruit.

Democrat from Tallahassee

“It’s unfortunate that he (Hunter) decided to pivot, but this is the season when everything is on the line, from NIL to facilities to where to win potential championships, etc.,” said Charlie Ward, a 1993 Heisman Trophy winner and two-sport star who played in the NBA.

“I’m a firm believer that people make decisions and when you’ve done everything you can do, you have to live with the result. I know FSU lost a valuable recruit who could have been a great asset. But they will continue to look for the next best player to help them develop into the type of player that will help them compete for championships.”

Travis Hunter Stats, Heisman Chances

Hunter’s first college game was against another Tallahassee team, Florida A&M. Jackson State beat FAMU 59-3 to open the 2022 season, with Hunter defending with two passes defended (he did not play on offense). On the season, he had 18 catches for 190 yards and four touchdowns while making 19 tackles and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a TD.

He then moved to Colorado when Deion Sanders took over as coach in 2023. Hunter immediately hit the ground running on both sides of the field, catching 11 balls for 119 yards and an incredible interception in his first game against TCU, which played in the national championship game the previous season. In total, he had 57 catches for 721 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, along with 31 tackles and three interceptions. He was on the field for 1,007 plays in nine games.

Entering 2024, Hunter had seven catches for 132 yards and three scores in a win over North Dakota State. He also made three tackles and played 134 of 136 snaps in the game. According to BetMGM, he has the sixth-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy at +1500, higher than teammate Shedeur Sanders (+2500).

FSU is 0-2 after two upset losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College. They have this week off before returning to Tallahassee to play Memphis on Sept. 14.

Contributor: Curt Weiler, Democrat from Tallahassee