Game recognizes game.

Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II knows what it’s like to be one of the best cornerbacks in college football. What he doesn’t know is what it’s like to also be one of the best wide receivers in college football.

And that’s what makes CU Buffs dual-threat star Travis Hunter so special.

Hunter is unlike anything Surtain has ever seen. For Surtain, it’s breathtaking to see the 21-year-old secure an interception as a cornerback, then line up as a wide receiver and make opposing secondaries look silly on the same play.

“He’s a different type of athlete,” Surtain told the Denver Post.

Surtain and many of his Bronco teammates were excited about Hunter, who is widely considered the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday. He is a finalist alongside Oregon quarterback Dillion Gabriel, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty – Hunter’s main competition for the award – with 2,497 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns.

However, Surtain made it clear that Hunter – college football’s unicorn – should win the award, which would make him the second Buffs player to win the award and the first since the late Rashaan Salaam in 1994.

“(Hunter’s) talent speaks for itself,” Surtain told The Post. “What you see out there on the field is a testament to how hard he works. He’ll be a top-three pick (in the 2025 NFL Draft).”

Before Denver’s game against Cleveland, Surtain said CU gave him and wide receiver Courtland Sutton T-shirts with Hunter striking the Heisman pose and the words “He12man” written on the front. But Surtain didn’t need the shirt he wore before the game to show his support for the two-way star.

Surtain has been a fan since Hunter was a five-star recruit at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia. A friend told Surtain about the wonders of Hunter, prompting him to look up Hunter’s highlight reel.

“It was pretty eye-opening,” Surtain said. “He’s doing the same things (now) he did in high school. It’s incredible to see.”

The two players have no personal connection, but Surtain said he has been in touch with Hunter through social media. There is a lot of respect for each other’s games.

Hunter recently appeared on “The Pivot Podcast” where he said Surtain, his coach Deion Sanders and former Seahawks star Richard Sherman are his top three cornerbacks of all time.

“(He’s) just a technician,” Hunter said of Surtain. “He’s so relaxed. He will (never) ever get rattled.”

Surtain doesn’t dwell on awards or praise. However, it meant a lot that he was only 24 years old and Hunter called him one of the best cornerbacks in the world.

“That’s pretty cool, especially to hear that from a guy like him who plays at a high level,” Surtain said.

Surtain and other Broncos players were asked to put on their general manager hats and answer a question that will haunt Hunter from now until next April’s draft: Should he play wide receiver or cornerback at the next level?

Hunter has already expressed his desire to play full-time in the league’s offense and defense. His numbers this season as a receiver (92 catches, 1,152 yards, 14 TDs) and cornerback (32 tackles, four interceptions, 11 passes defended) clearly suggest he can do both.

But achieving both at such a high level in the pros is a completely different matter.

Surtain had to think about the question first because he believes Hunter has the potential to be an impact player at both positions.

“He’s talented enough (to play both positions),” Surtain said. “As a receiver, he has incredible ball skills. But you rarely see that at defensive back. …It’s so natural. It’s very hard to find corners that can do what he can do.”

Broncos starting safety PJ Locke said without hesitation that if he were running a team, he would choose Hunter and then let him play wideout and cornerback.

“Why make him one-dimensional?” said Locke. “He can chase the ball offensively and play corners. Let him do what he does best.”

Added rookie wideout Troy Franklin: “He can do it, bro. … He’s a ballplayer.”

Broncos inside linebacker Justin Strnad, who is seeking a general manager position after his playing career, was a little more measured. The Wake Forest product said he would use Hunter at cornerback while also integrating him into a limited number of offensive packages as a wide receiver to handle his workload.

“For the sake of his career, I would like him to play for a long time,” Strnad said.

Wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey agreed with Strnad, but added that he might let Hunter spend time as a returner to give him more touches on the ball. He also expressed concern that Hunter could play both ways given the physicality of the pro level.

“They’re grown men,” Humphrey said. “Everyone doesn’t know what they’re doing in college. But in the NFL everyone is good. They’ve been in the weight room, they’re strong and explosive. The hits are a little different.”

Of course, as Surtain said, Hunter is also different.