Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr. found themselves back in the same place on Wednesday, even if only for a training camp stopover. The former Colorado Buffaloes teammates were reunited during a joint practice in Jacksonville, Florida, giving fans of the program a familiar sight from one of the most memorable runs in recent Colorado history.
The Carolina Panthers even leaned into the moment with a social media post that read, "Two young Buffs" - a small line that hit big with Colorado supporters. It was a quick reminder of how much Hunter and Horn meant to the Buffaloes while they were in Boulder together.
Horn arrived at Colorado through the transfer portal in 2023 after coming over from South Florida, and he immediately became part of the offense. In his first season with the Buffaloes, he put up 58 catches for 567 yards and six touchdowns.
Hunter’s rise was even more dramatic. By his final college season in 2024, he had become the center of everything Colorado did, piling up 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also made his presence felt on defense with four interceptions, 36 tackles and 11 pass breakups.
That season ended with Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy and cementing himself as one of the most gifted players in college football. Horn was right there alongside him, giving Colorado another dangerous option as the program moved into the Big 12.
Now the two are building separate NFL careers, but their Colorado connection still travels with them. Wednesday’s practice reunion was a chance for Buffaloes fans to see two of their own back together again.
Hunter entered the league with massive expectations after his Heisman-winning year and was taken No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville wanted him to keep doing what made him so unusual at Colorado, contributing on both offense and defense.
His rookie year offered a glimpse of that promise before injury cut it short. Hunter played in seven games in 2025 and finished with 28 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, he added 15 tackles and three passes defended. One of his best outings came against the Los Angeles Rams, when he caught eight passes for 101 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown.
His season ended after a knee injury that required surgery, but he is healthy again and back at work for training camp. The Jaguars still see him as a two-way player, though his defensive workload could grow this season. So far in camp, Hunter has already flashed on both sides of the ball.
Horn’s path is a little different, but the opportunity in front of him is just as real. Selected by Carolina in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the former Buffaloes receiver had a quiet rookie season, finishing with 11 receptions for 108 yards.
Now entering a critical year, Horn has a chance to carve out a much bigger role. His speed and versatility give him a route onto the field, and his experience could help him stand out in the competition for snaps. The 2026 season is his shot to show he can be more than a depth piece.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Faces Fresh Off-Field Scrutiny At A Tough Time For Colorado
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The broader backdrop makes the timing harder to ignore, with Colorado's performance under Sanders from 2023 through 2025 already under regular scrutiny and every move around the program drawing attention. It also comes on the heels of legal trouble involving his family, including Shilo Sanders filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2023 to seek relief from an $11.89 million debt tied to a 2015 personal injury lawsuit, a reminder that the Sanders name has been attached to more than football lately. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Brings Another Off-Field Distraction To Colorado
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It comes on top of a separate financial story involving Shilo Sanders, who filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 2023 tied to a personal injury lawsuit from years earlier. For a Colorado program that has already lived through noticeable swings in performance from 2023 through 2025, the challenge is not just managing the roster and results, but keeping the attention on football long enough to build something steadier. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Still Missing A Key Transfer As Fall Camp Frustration Grows
Fall camp was supposed to be the next step for Ezra Christensen at Colorado, a chance for the New Mexico State transfer to get settled into the defensive line rotation and start building toward the season. Instead, he remains on the sideline while an eligibility dispute tied to an injunction against the NCAA drags on, leaving the Buffaloes without one of their key newcomers as practice rolls on.
Christensens attorney said a Boulder judge is working on an order tied to the pending motion, but there is still no resolution. Christensen has pointed to similar recent cases in which players were granted injunctions, and the delay has clearly become a source of frustration as he waits for clarity and tries to keep pace with the rest of Colorados preseason preparations. [Read more 🡒]