Houston Christan EDGE Jalyx Hunt went from somewhat of an unknown to a player getting selected at some point during the 2024 NFL Draft.
After spending his first three seasons at Cornell, Hunt spent his final year of college football at Houston Christian, where he went and played his way into the NFL Draft discussion.
While he isn’t expected to go early, Hunt figures to hear his name called on Saturday.
How Tall Is Jalyx Hunt?
Hunt stands just under 6’4”, which has him in the 47th percentile when it comes to the EDGE position. That is pretty much the average and standard height for edge rushers, so that’s not damaging for his draft stock.
Even though he is a little shorter than the other prospects, Hunt makes up for it with his arm length and wingspan.
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Hunt possesses 34 3/8” arms (80th percentile) and an 82 3/4” wingspan (85th percentile). You add that combination with his height, and suddenly Hunt is right there with many of the other EDGE prospects in this class.
How Much Does Hunt Weigh?
Hunt weighs in at 252 pounds, which puts him in the 21st percentile. That is one area that could scare scouts and general managers from picking him — that can present a big challenge against mammoth offensive linemen.
Hunt ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash, which puts him in the 82nd percentile for edge rushers. He also has incredible athleticism with a broad jump of 128” (95th percentile) and a vertical jump of 37 1/2” (88th percentile).
That leaping ability is extremely impressive and could allow Hunt to line up in different areas. While he may be undersized at times against offensive linemen, that leaping ability could help him be able to knock a lot of passes down at the line of scrimmage.
How Old Is Hunt?
Born March 13, 2001, in DeBary, Fla., Hunt will be 23 years old at the beginning of his rookie year. In some drafts, that may be a little older, but in today’s college football, that is right on average.
However, because of COVID-19 taking a season away from him, Hunt is still young when it comes to games.
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He played in only 17 contests, starting in one during his time at Cornell. Last season was the first time Hunt ever played a full season of college football.
That could make Hunt an intriguing prospect, as he still hasn’t played a ton of football.
What College Did Hunt Attend?
Hunt committed to Cornell after playing his last three years of prep football at Universal High School in Florida. He spent three seasons at Cornell, but he lost a year because of COVID-19.
Once he went to Houston Christian, this is when Hunt’s collegiate career took off.
Hunt wasn’t a big-time recruit, and he wasn’t ranked by any of the scouting websites, and Cornell was his only option.
Revisiting Hunt’s College Career
Hunt played in 17 games at Cornell, starting only one game. He didn’t put up major numbers, as he finished with only 29 tackles in those games.
It was when he decided to go to Houston Christian that Hunt became a pro prospect.
In 2022, Hunt had 87 tackles, seven sacks, and three forced fumbles. In 2023, he had 46 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two more forced fumbles.
Hunt was the best defensive player in the Southland Conference the last two seasons. Last year, he led the conference with 11.5 tackles for loss. He followed that up in 2023 with nine more, and he was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Hunt’s best game of the season was against Lamar, when he tallied 10 tackles, three sacks, and three tackles for loss. He also had a forced fumble and fumble recovery in that game.
While it wasn’t against high-level talent, there were many times over the past two years when Hunt was simply unblockable.
Hunt’s Potential in the NFL
Hunt was a guy at the start of the season that many college football fans would have never heard of. However, he is a legitimate pro prospect after the past two seasons.
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings says there is a lot that makes Hunt an intriguing prospect.
“He is a hyper-explosive athlete with an elite physical foundation and impressive length,” Cummings said. “He’s a quantifiably elite athlete with searing explosiveness, screaming speed around the apex, and the bend capacity to reduce angles while sustaining acceleration.”
Due to the fact he has played only two seasons as an EDGE, Hunt still has a long ways to go, but he has a chance to make an immediate impact.
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Jalyx Hunt
“Right away, Hunt has special teams value,” Cummings said. “But in odd-front schemes that employ stand-up rushers, he also brings immediate rotational appeal as a pass-rushing sparkplug with speed, finesse, and power elements to his game. Ultimately, with more time at EDGE, he will have the tools and motor skills to become an impact starter.”
Being able to come in right away and contribute on special teams is big. That is the type of thing that will get a guy drafted, especially knowing there is so much unlocked potential as a speed rusher.
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