Recently, in the comment section of one of our videos, someone wrote that Travis Hunter is way too small to play cornerback at the NFL level. I’ll admit, I wanted to type a fiery response right away, but instead I decided to pause and see if there was any truth to the claim.
My first thought immediately went to Adam “Pacman” Jones. I remember when he first came into the league with the Titans — his head and helmet almost looked oversized compared to his lean frame. He was small, but he was a monster on the field. Of course, Pacman’s off-field troubles halted his momentum, but once he settled down, he pieced together a strong career. That memory pushed me to dig deeper. Was Travis Hunter really too small by today’s standards?
Present-Day Comparison: Hunter vs. AFC CB1s
Hunter checks in at 6’1”, 185 lbs. To put that in context, I looked at the top cornerbacks (CB1s) across every AFC team in 2024.
Height:
- Same height (6’1”): Jalen Ramsey (208), Christian Gonzalez (205), Derek Stingley Jr. (195), Tyson Campbell (195), L’Jarius Sneed (192)
- Taller: Sauce Gardner (6’3”), Patrick Surtain II (6’2”), Rasul Douglas (6’2”), Joey Porter Jr. (6’2”)
- Shorter: Denzel Ward (5’11”), Cam Taylor-Britt (5’11”), Trent McDuffie (5’11”), Jack Jones (5’11”), Asante Samuel Jr. (5’10”), Kenny Moore II (5’9”), Marlon Humphrey (6’0”)
Hunter’s height is right in the middle, equal to some of the best and taller than nearly half of the AFC’s CB1s.
Weight:
- 200+ lbs: Douglas (209), Ramsey (208), Humphrey (210), Surtain (202), Gonzalez (205)
- 190–199 lbs: Gardner (190), Ward (190), Porter Jr. (193), McDuffie (193), Sneed (192), Campbell (195), Stingley (195)
- Under 185 lbs: Jack Jones (175), Asante Samuel Jr. (180)
This is where the critique has some merit. At 185 lbs, Hunter is lighter than the average Pro Bowl-caliber corner (195 lbs).
Wide Receiver Comparisons
While his weight presents a bit of an abnormality at cornerback, there are multiple notable wide receivers at his exact height/weight combination — and some even slighter in build — who have been very successful in the NFL.
My first thought went to DeVonta Smith, a Super Bowl champion wide receiver with the Eagles who has been highly productive despite being listed at 6’0”, 170 lbs. Some might argue he plays Batman to A.J. Brown’s Robin, but his production speaks for itself.
WRs in the League at 6’1” – 185 lbs or Under
- Zay Flowers (5’9, 175)
- Marvin Mims (5’11, 182)
- Josh Downs (5’9, 171)
- Xavier Worthy (5’11, 165)
- Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (5’9, 180)
- Tre Tucker (5’9, 185)
- Ladd McConkey (6’0, 185)
- Jaylen Waddle (5’10, 185)
- Jordan Addison (5’11, 175)
- Rashid Shaheed (6’0, 180)
- Wan’Dale Robinson (5’8, 185)
- Garrett Wilson (6’0, 183)
- DeVonta Smith (6’0, 170)
- Tyler Lockett (5’10, 182)
Average AFC WR Size (2024)
When we look at the AFC’s top wideouts in 2024, the averages were:
- Average Height: ~5’11”
- Average Weight: ~191 lbs
That puts Hunter (6’1, 185) essentially right in the receiver range, a build that has worked for many explosive playmakers.
History of Smaller Pro Bowl Corners
Hunter wouldn’t be the first “undersized” corner to prove the doubters wrong. Some greats thrived at or below his playing weight:
- Asante Samuel Sr. (5’10, 185) – 4× Pro Bowler, 51 INTs, elite ballhawk.
- Adam “Pacman” Jones (5’10, 185) – 1× Pro Bowler, explosive returner and physical corner despite size.
- Samari Rolle (6’0, 175) – 1× Pro Bowler, sticky man-coverage technician.
- Darrell Green (5’9, ~184) – Hall of Famer, 7× Pro Bowler, one of the fastest, most durable corners ever.
- Asante Samuel Jr. (5’10, 180) – NFL Free Agent with fan bases hoping for his return and his signing with their team, also showing Pro Bowl potential like his father.
The Takeaway
Yes, Travis Hunter is lighter than most CB1s in today’s NFL. Yes, most top corners carry more bulk. But history is filled with examples of players his size who thrived, and he has something they didn’t: Deion Sanders in his corner (literally).
Deion told NFL teams to draft Hunter, just like he told them a 5’9, 190-pound safety nicknamed Honey Badger would dominate. Both times, he was right.
So, is Travis Hunter “too small” to play NFL cornerback? Only if you believe average matters more than exceptional. Hunter has always been the exception — and there’s every reason to believe he will be again.
