Travis Hunter has received public backing from his Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders after deleting his Instagram amid ongoing scrutiny over his fiancee Leanna Lenee.
Sanders was talking to media Monday night ahead of the Buffaloes’ Saturday bowl game against BYU.
Attention inevitably turned onto his star player and Heisman Trophy winner, whose relationship with Lenee was been ridiculed due to several viral moments between the two.
‘Everything is great, he has the Heisman Trophy at the crib,’ Sanders said, before alluding to his potential as a future NFL player.
‘He’s projected to be the first or second pick, no later than the third. I don’t know where all the bulljunk comes in at. I think it’s all a blessing, the things you may count as stressing is still a blessing.
‘I think he’s heading in the right direction. He loves the game of football. I’m always focused on the positives, not the negatives. It’s so easy to see the negative when the positive is right there in front of you.
Travis Hunter pictured celebrating winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy in New York
Hunter deleted Instagram this weekend amid ongoing ridicule over fiancee Leanna Lenee
I wanted to ask Coach Prime about how Travis Hunter is doing.
“Everything is great, he has the Heisman Trophy at the crib… I don’t know where the bulljunk comes in at… It’s so easy to see the negative when the positive is right in front of you.” pic.twitter.com/mQsP0577N5
— RK (@RyanKoenigsberg) December 24, 2024
‘I love this young man, I love what he stands for. I love him like he’s a son. He’s exceeded everything we’ve asked of him academically as well as athletically.’
In the aftermath of his team’s 52-0 win over Oklahoma State Cowboys in late November, he and Lenee appeared to argue as he made his way back towards the field. She even seemed to turn her face away when he went to kiss her.
Then, when the 21-year-old won the Heisman Trophy last week, Lenee was criticized for her subdued response as he celebrated.
In a separate incident, the 23-year-old Lenee also appeared unhappy with Hunter for posing for photographs with female fans.
Before his account disappeared on Sunday, fans were even speculating if Lenee had been faithful to Hunter during their relationship.
After his Instagram page disappeared, his Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders – coach Deoin’s son – spoke out for him on X, writing: ‘All y’all athletes, entertainers, artist etc if y’all genuine trying to holla at trav y’all know how to get in touch with him or someone around.
‘At this point y’all just posting for the algorithm trying to look cool.’
Hunter and the Buffaloes play BYU on Saturday night at the Alamodome in Texas.