Travis Hunter has gone down the hat line. The first is an Auburn hat. He put it on his head, then threw it aside. Then he tried on a Georgia hat. He said he liked it too and it fit him well, but it wasn’t his.
Late edits to the nation’s No. 1 announcement ceremony would expect him to then pick up the Florida State hat and wear it. The five-star full-back has been a commitment for Seminoles since 3 March 2020 and nothing seems to have changed leading up to the start of the early signing period.
“It’s always on my mind, but check me out. Mom, go get that hat,” Hunter said as he tossed the Florida State hat aside. He was then flipped over a Bang Jackson hat. He put it on, then put on another Jackson State jacket.
Hunter was ranked by the 247Sports Composite Rankings as the No. 1 player in the 2022 ranking. Now, he is set to not go to the Power Five school. Not even an FBS school. Instead, he will join Deion Sanders at FCS HBCU Jackson State in one of the most unprecedented decisions in college football history.
REGISTER FOLLOWING DATE 2022: Live updates, top hires and classes for early signing
Why did Travis Hunter leave FSU for Jackson State
There is no precedent for Hunter’s decision to go to Jackson State. In the past, #1 rookies flocked to college football’s annual powerhouses, most often landing with annual championship contenders.
These are the number 1 rookies of the past, according to 247Sports General Rankings, in 10 years ago.
| Five | Player | position | do |
| Year 2021 | Quinn Ewers | QB | Ohio State |
| Year 2020 | Bryan Bresee | DT | Clemson |
| 2019 | Nolan Smith | DE | Georgia |
| 2018 | Trevor Lawrence | QB | Clemson |
| 2017 | Jaelan Phillips | DE | UCLA |
| 2016 | Rashan Gary | DT | Michigan |
| 2015 | Trenton Thompson | DT | Georgia |
| 2014 | Leonard Fournette | RB | LSU |
| two thousand and thirteen | Robert Nkemdiche | DE | Ole Miss |
| 2012 | Dorial Green-Beckham | WR | Mizzou |
Each team is a Power Five program, and most of the teams have been considered championship contenders – or at least have been ranked – during this time.
So why did Hunter make this decision? In his announcement post on Twitter, Hunter said it was his lifelong dream to play for Florida State and he never doubted he would play there.
THAN: How Deion Sanders’ biggest wins at Jackson State were off the field – and still to come
“It’s a dream that’s hard to give up, but sometimes we’re called to step into a future bigger than we imagine for ourselves. For me, that future is at Jackson University. State,” Hunter said in his post. “Jerry Rice, Doug Williams, and of course the legend, JSU’s own Walter Payton – Black colleges and universities have a rich history in football. I wanted to be a part of that history. That and more, I want to be a part of that future.”
Hunter explains that he wants to be an example to others that HBCUs can have everything athletes are looking for, “an enjoyable college experience, an important community, and an alternative place.” changed his life to play football.”
Hunter’s pledge is the latest thing Sanders has done since joining the Tigers. His recruiting class of 2021 has five four-star recruits and ranks 55th nationally, according to 247Sports Aggregate Team Rankings. One of the players is De’Jahn Warren, the No. 2 prospective college student in the country, and the other is Shedeur Sanders, the No. 241 player in 2021.
STORY ABOUT REGISTRATION DATES: Texas A&M’s Super; Five-star QBs; Chaos at USC, OU
Sanders’ change at Jackson State happened very quickly. He was hired as head coach in September 2020 and led the Tigers to a 4-3 record in the postponed 2020 season, which takes place in the spring of 2021. However, the Tigers won 11 -1 in 2021. 9-0 in SWAC match, division and conference win. They will compete at the national black championship, the Celebration Bowl, on December 18.
For Hunter, there will also be the appeal of playing for Sanders, a former Florida State fullback who has entered both College Football and the Pro Football Halls of Fame. He finished his career with two Super Bowl titles and eight Pro Bowl titles. He was both a corner and wide-angle receiver in the NFL, ending his career with 53 interceptions, 9 interceptions returned for touchdowns, 13 ball recoveries, 784 receive and 3 times receiving the ball touching the field.
