Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan touched on a variety of topics while speaking with the media at the 2025 NFL Combine. As owners of the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Titans were frequently asked about Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, one of few players seemingly worth taking with the top pick.
The biggest question mark surrounding Hunter's evaluation is whether or not he can conceivably continue playing both wide receiver and cornerback at the next level after thriving as a two-way stud at Colorado. While Callahan indicated he sees a realistic path for Hunter to contribute on both offense and defense, he did concede that he would probably start at cornerback.
"What do you do with a player like him?," Callahan told Paul Kuharsky about Hunter's position. "Where does he help you on both sides of the ball? He can return punts. He has a very unique skill set. I don't think you can compare many players to him. He probably starts at cornerback, and then you find ways to interject him into the offense as he gets more comfortable. I think corner is probably his starting point in my opinion."
Brian Callahan would start Travis Hunter out at corner. #Titans pic.twitter.com/2ifEPMdAIh
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) February 25, 2025
If the Titans view Hunter as a cornerback who may occasionally help them at wide receiver, it should remove him from consideration at No. 1 overall. A cornerback hasn't been the draft's top selection since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. It's worth noting cornerback is his listed position at the NFL Combine. Though Hunter's potential two-way status makes him unique by comparison, there are other factors worth considering.
Cornerback is arguably the deepest position on a bad Titans roster that went an NFL-worst 3-14 in 2024. Previous general manager Ran Carthon made a sizable commitment to L'Jarius Sneed and Chido Awuzie last offseason. Nickel corner Roger McCreary is entering a contract year and is a candidate for an extension. The team appeared to also land a long-term starter in the fifth round of last year's draft in Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
It's also worth acknowledging things could quickly change at cornerback. If Sneed and Awuzie don't enjoy bounce-back seasons in 2025, they're likely gone in 2026. Perhaps McCreary prices himself outside of Tennessee's comfort zone and leaves during next offseason's free agency period. Still, the Titans shouldn't draft a non-common position at No. 1 because things might go haywire with the talents currently on the roster.
Meanwhile the Titans possess holes at premium positions such as quarterback and EDGE, where Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and Abdul Carter are all rivaling Hunter for the right to be the No. 1 overall selection. A trade down is also a viable option, where Hunter and others may be available later in the top 10.
If the Titans viewed Hunter primarily as a wide receiver, it would be conceivable that he could go No. 1 overall, even though one hasn't been picked at the top since 1997 (Keyshawn Johnson). The Titans have holes at wide receiver, and this is a peculiar draft where perhaps a quarterback, EDGE, or offensive tackle (the three primary positions most commonly selected) isn't worth the opening pick.
Callahan hinted the team may prefer to draft a quarterback. Borgonzi hinted a trade-down may be Tennessee's preference. With a lot left to sort through at the 2025 NFL Combine, the comments made about Hunter's positional evaluation should remove him from consideration at No. 1 overall.