

During the last college football season, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter were the stars at Colorado and among the biggest names in the NCAA. They topped the NIL value rankings, even though the Buffaloes missed the playoffs and lost the Alamo Bowl. The two were inseparable, turning heads with their skills and charisma. Now, they’ve entered the NFL facing completely different situations.
Sanders, once projected as a top-10 draft pick, was selected in the fifth round and is competing for the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback position in a crowded and competed room. Meanwhile, Hunter, fresh off a Heisman season, was drafted second overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who traded next year’s first-round pick to get him. The Jaguars see Hunter as a game-changer, and his lucrative rookie contract proves it.
Hunter’s Huge Payday and Sanders’ Supportive Nod
On Sunday, the Jaguars signed Travis Hunter to a four-year, $46.65 million contract, fully guaranteed, and gave him a $30.57 million signing bonus right away. This is an unusual move for a player who isn’t a quarterback or the first overall draft pick. Jacksonville emphasized this by posting two announcements, one calling him a defensive back and the other a wide receiver, to highlight his two-way talent. In contrast, Sanders signed a four-year, $4.65 million deal with the Browns, receiving a $447,380 signing bonus-a sum that pales in comparison to Hunter’s, being almost ten times smaller.
It’s all about draft position. Hunter was the second overall pick, while Sanders was the 144th. Still, Sanders showed love by reposting the Jags’ news with a fingers-crossed emoji. While Hunter is raking it in, Sanders relies on hefty endorsement cash. If he snags the starting gig in Cleveland, those deals-and maybe his contract-could increase.
Two Paths, One Epic Friendship
For the first time since their high school years, Sanders and Hunter are on different teams, and their Colorado seasons were wild. Hunter lit up Colorado as a two-way beast, recording 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense and 11 pass breakups and three interceptions on defense. Sanders? He rewrote the Buffs’ passing records, throwing for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns, and completing 72% of his passes over two seasons. Together, they transformed a 1-11 team in 2022 into a 9-4, top-25 team by 2024, earning retired jerseys along the way. The Browns and Jaguars won’t play each other this season, but a future matchup would be electric.
This news was originally published on this post .
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