Top NFL Draft prospect Travis Hunter’s stance on 2-way difficulty criticized by Shannon Sharpe, Chad Johnson

Travis Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, is facing immoderate pushback implicit his effect to a question astir the difficulty of being a two-way athlete. 

Former NFL stars and existent podcast co-hosts Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson were among those who shared disapproval aft learning Hunter said that playing some discourtesy and defence successful shot was much challenging than hitting and pitching successful shot similar Shohei Ohtani has done truthful successfully.

During past week's NFL Scouting Combine successful Indianapolis, Hunter was asked if being a two-way shot subordinate was much challenging than throwing from an MLB pitching mound each 5 days portion besides being a full-time designated hitter.

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Colorado antiaircraft backmost Travis Hunter during the 2025 NFL Combine astatine Lucas Oil Stadium.  (Tanner Pearson/Imagn Images)

"Probably me, what I bash successful football, due to the fact that it's a batch connected your body," Hunter said. "Ohtani, he's a large player, but you gotta bash a batch successful football."

TRAVIS HUNTER STEADFAST IN ABILITY TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL TWO-WAY PLAYER IN NFL: 'I'M JUST DIFFERENT'

Johnson, who spent the bulk of his pro shot vocation with the Cincinnati Bengals, spoke of Hunter getting successful a batting cage. 

"I got to get Travis Hunter successful the batting cage," the erstwhile wide receiver said during an quality connected "The Stephen A. Smith Show" aft proceeding Hunter's take. "As athletically talented arsenic you are, I privation to spot you deed a 95 mph fastball successful the cage. The examination is not adjacent close.

"The 2 astir hard things successful beingness are hitting a shot and keeping a pistillate happy, agelong term."

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, right, heads to archetypal arsenic helium grounds retired portion San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano watches during the seventh inning of an opening time shot crippled astatine the Gocheok Sky Dome successful Seoul, South Korea, March 20, 2024, successful Seoul, South Korea.  (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Sharpe besides disagreed with Hunter, concluding that the examination betwixt what Hunter does connected the shot tract and what Ohtani does connected the shot diamond "aint adjacent close."

"Hey Trav, until you tin get successful that batting cage, conscionable the batting cage … conscionable the machine. Tell them to crook that up to 90-95 miles per hr and fto maine spot you deed it. Just the fastball, I ain't talking astir nary slider. I ain't talking astir nary curve. I ain't talking astir nary sinker," Sharpe said during a caller occurrence of "Nightcap."

Shannon Sharpe, left, and Chad Ochocinco talk onstage during The Volume - Nightcap Live Show with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco astatine Redtail Feb. 8, 2024, successful Las Vegas.  (Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for The Volume)

"The astir hard happening to bash successful this satellite is deed a shot coming astatine you. Just the fastball," the Pro Football Hall of Famer continued. "As hard arsenic the crippled of shot is, and I emotion you, you're an exceptional talent. But it's not adjacent comparable."

While NFL squad decision-makers statement whether Hunter should beryllium deployed arsenic a full-time violative oregon antiaircraft player, the erstwhile Colorado star views himself arsenic a two-way player.

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"Did immoderate meetings astatine receiver. Did immoderate meetings astatine DB. So, inactive up successful the air," Hunter responded to questions astatine the NFL Scouting Combine astir playing important snaps connected discourtesy and defence successful the pros.

"They say, 'Nobody has ever done it, for real, the mode I bash it,' but I archer them, 'I'm conscionable different.'"

Hunter played wide receiver and cornerback astatine Jackson State and Colorado nether caput manager Deion Sanders. Hunter excelled connected some sides of the shot successful college, playing much than 700 snaps connected discourtesy and defense.

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