Travis Hunter, the nation’s No. 1 ranked prospect in the Class of 2022, will be attending an HBCU. The high school athlete announced his decision to sign with Deion Sanders and Jackson State University on Wednesday morning (Dec. 15), a shocking twist following his previous commitment to Florida State University.
Standing in front of a crowd, Hunter teased viewers by trying on and tossing aside hats from other colleges before landing on the hat of his choice: one from Jackson State. He later took to Twitter to explain his decision.
“Florida State has always been a beacon for me. I grew up down there, that’s where my roots are, and I never doubted that I would play for the Seminoles,” Hunter wrote. “It’s a dream that is hard to let go of, but sometimes we are called to step into a bigger future than the one we imagined for ourselves. For me, that future is at Jackson State University.”
Hunter, a football player at Collins High School in Suwanee, Georgia, initially had his heart set on playing for the Florida State Seminoles. After committing to the team in March 2020, he appeared to be adamant about the decision, shutting down numerous rumors that he would change his mind. Watching Sanders lead the Jackson State Tigers to their first championship victory since 2007, he reconsidered his choice. He also believed it would be a great opportunity to shine a light on HBCUs.
“Historically Black Colleges and Universities have a rich history in football,” Hunter tweeted in his post. “I want to be part of that history, and more, I want to be part of that future. I am making this decision so that I can light the way for others to follow, make it a little easier for the next player to recognize that HBCUs may be everything you want and more.”
See his tweet and a video of his announcement below.
#BREAKING: The No. 1 player in the country makes it official! He's committed to @DeionSanders and Jackson State 🔥🔥
He tossed the the other hats to the side 🤯 pic.twitter.com/0k1ZQm7A7e
— 247Sports (@247Sports) December 15, 2021
It’s OFFICIAL #jsu #gotigers 🐅 @jacksonstatefb pic.twitter.com/UTyzMPgVH6
— Travis Hunter (@TravisHunterJr) December 15, 2021