Colorado CB Travis Hunter headlines Big 12 Conference stars on Nagurski Trophy watch list out

There’s a chance that a player could repeat as the Nagurski Trophy winner for just the third time in history with Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts back in 2024 after winning it in 2023 — but he’ll have to fend off an entire country of defensive stars to do so.

Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter headlined the players from the Big 12 Conference named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list on July 31 after the junior won the Paul Hornung Award in 2023 as the nation’s most versatile player. Hunter was also named All-Pac-12 and a consensus All-American.

Hunter is the first two-way star on the Power Four conference level since Michigan’s Charles Woodson in 1997 — Hunter also plays wide receiver for the Buffaloes. Hunter was one of 12 players from the Big 12 to make the Nagurski Trophy watch list.

Colorado opens its season on Aug. 29 at home against North Dakota State.