NEW YORK—Travis Hunter added yet another award to his repertoire this season as he was named the 2024 AP College Football Player of the Year, the Associated Press announced Thursday.
This marks Hunter’s third trophy this week. After being presented with the Lott IMPACT Trophy, in Las Vegas on Monday, he followed that up on Wednesday as he was announced as the winner of the Paul Hornung award, presented to the country’s most versatile player. He is the first two-time winner of the award.
Hunter, also a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s best receiver, has proved to be one of the best offensive players this year. He finished first in the Big 12 and fifth in the NCAA in receptions, second in the Big 12 and fifth in the country in receiving yards, led the conference and is second in the NCAA in receiving touchdowns.
Hunter’s offensive resume is impressive enough for most awards, but his ability to play on both sides of the ball for an entire game is what made him the award-winning candidate.
On the defensive side of the ball, he played 688 total snaps earning a cover grade of 91.1 on PFF, the top mark in the FBS. Hunter logged 378 snaps in coverage, including 185 in press coverage where he was targeted just 38 times, the fourth-lowest mark in the FBS. Along with allowing just 22 catches for 205 yards and one touchdown, Hunter had four interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
In the 27-year-long history of the award, Hunter is only the second player to win the AP Player of the Year award playing defensive snaps since Ndamukong Suh in 2009. Only five times has the winner of the AP POTY not won the Heisman Trophy.
Hunter will be in New York as one of four finalists for the Heisman Trophy. The two-way star is also a finalist for the Biletnikoff, Bednarik, Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards which will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN at 7 p.m. MT.