Travis Hunter played both ways extensively at Colorado, earning All-America honors at both wide receiver and cornerback and winning the Heisman Trophy in 2024.

He’s expected to be the No. 3 overall pick in Thursday’s NFL draft, going to the Cleveland Browns. And once his pro career begins, the debate will continue as to whether or not he can play both offense and defense in the NFL.

Count former Alabama coach Nick Saban among those who believe Hunter should, for one simple reason — his ability to get into the end zone.

“I think that anybody that can score touchdowns is better than a guy can play defense at any position,” Saban said in Thursday’s pre-draft edition of College GameDay on ESPN. “And this guy can score touchdowns.”

Fellow panelist Joey Galloway — a former receiver at Ohio State and in the NFL was aghast, asking Saban “who are you?” Saban responded that the game changed dramatically during his time at Alabama, where a ball-control mentality no longer succeeded at the highest level of college football in say, 2020, as it had in 2012.

“It got to the point where we couldn’t win playing defense and running the ball,” Saban said. “We had to score 40 points to beat good teams. How many number one picks did we have at receiver in them last five years?”

Still, Saban said, he’d use Hunter primarily at cornerback, and then utilize him in key situations on offense.

“But I would play Travis (at) corner, because it would be easier to develop this guy,” Saban said. “It’s hard to play part time defense because you have to adjust to what the offense does. It’s easier to play part time offense.”

The 2025 NFL draft begins at 7 p.m., with coverage on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network.