With Week 4 of the 2024 NFL season upon us, some analysts and experts are already looking ahead to the 2025 draft — and there are some fascinating early mocks emerging. One in particular has the Chicago Bears snagging one of college football’s top talents.
In a September 20 mock draft for CBS Sports, Ryan Wilson has the Bears landing Colorado standout Travis Hunter with the No. 12 overall pick.
A legitimate candidate for the Heisman Trophy, Hunter has been tearing it up at Colorado over the last two seasons playing both wide receiver and cornerback — it’s not hyperbole to call him a generational talent. While the Bears are currently strong at both WR and CB, a player as good as Hunter might be too good to pass up if he should fall to them.
“I’m not going to overcomplicate it. The defense is really good, but you can create packages for him,” Wilson wrote in his mock, adding: “On the other side of the ball, they don’t necessarily need more wide receivers but you can find places for Travis Hunter to help you. At 12, I feel really good about that.”
Travis Hunter Is a Dream Add for Most Teams, Including the Chicago Bears
Travis Hunter had 130 receiving yards tonight and forced the fumble on the game-ending play.
He’s the 1st FBS player in the last 20 seasons with 100 receiving yards and a defensive forced fumble in a single game.
Hunter’s abilities on both sides of the ball were on full display Week 3 against Baylor. He hauled in 7 passes for 130 yards on offense while forcing a game-sealing fumble on defense. So far through four games this season, he has 37 receptions for 472 yards (that’s over 118 receiving yards per game) and 5 TDs.
Per ESPN, Hunter is the first “FBS player in the last 20 seasons with 100 receiving yards and a defensive forced fumble in a single game.” That type of versatility will be invaluable when the draft hits.
According to PFF, Hunter played 1,044 snaps in 2023 (452 on offense and 592 on defense). He’s well on his way to equalling if not surpassing those totals this season.
The Bears are already strong at corner, with All-Pro Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson and Kyler Gordon forming one of the best CB rooms in the NFL. But with veteran wideout Keenan Allen likely heading out the door once his current one-year deal is up, adding a player with Hunter’s athletic ability to the receiving corps while adding an additional playmaker for QB Caleb Williams to throw to is an intriguing idea.
Here’s what Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report’s scouting department had to say about Hunter after Week 3:
In a sport where players are often pigeonholed into specific roles, Travis Hunter is redefining what it means to be a flat-out star. His ability to dominate both sides of the ball harkens back to legends like Charles Woodson—the last primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy in 1997—yet Woodson’s offensive success pales in comparison to what Hunter has done since arriving at Colorado. For context, Woodson totaled 21 career receptions in his three years at Michigan. Hunter recorded 17 catches for 242 yards and three scores in his first two games this fall. He continues to improve week to week, and his ceiling is as lofty as anyone’s in any class.
Offensive Line Should Probably Be Priority for Chicago Bears in 2025 NFL Draft
While adding Hunter is an exciting prospect, the Bears should probably use their 2025 first-round pick on an offensive lineman, while also addressing the O-line in free agency. The Bears are currently ranked 30th out of 32 teams in sacks allowed, and the line has been an obvious road block to Williams’ progress — at least through the first three games.
The Bears used a 2023 first-round selection on tackle Darnell Wright, who currently dealing with a back injury. Prior to drafting Wright, the Bears hadn’t taken and offensive lineman in Round 1 since 2013, when they selected Kyle Long.
It all starts in the trenches, as they say. Adding Hunter sounds great — but having a capable line that can keep Williams upright sounds better.
