Lee Hunter

● Broad through his shoulders and hips; comfortably carries his weight ● Relies on natural strength and size to be stout at contact ● Moves with surprising quickness and fluidity in 320-pound frame ● Lateral mobility — takes good angles to the ball ● Knows how to use his body to his advantage (Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon said Hunter was the toughest player he faced in 2025) ● Uses fierce hands to discard blocks and find the ball ● Finds ways to adjust and stalemate against double teams ● Able to create vertical push when he locks out his arms ● Quickly connected with Texas Tech locker room (NFL scout: “Showed up and worked … wants to be coached hard. … [He] became a team leader and was holding other guys accountable.”) ● Durable — played in 52 games over past four seasons

● Good bubble but mid-cut and a little top heavy ● Not explosive (lowest vertical — by three inches) at NFL combine) ● Pads get high in a hurry, giving blockers an easy target ● Needs to pay more attention to leverage and technique to keep himself clean ● Doesn’t have snap timing or first-step burst for quick wins ● Lacks pass-rush plan and relies on force to push his way to pocket ● Roughing the passer penalty on third down vs. UCF in 2025 (which kept drive alive and led to a touchdown)

A one-year starter at Texas Tech (and three-year starter overall), Hunter lined up as the nose guard in defensive coordinator Shiel Wood’s 4-2-5 base scheme. After a bad experience in his one season at Auburn, he put himself on the NFL radar at UCF and then made his presence known for the Red Raiders in 2025. Despite generating little sack production, he combined for 31.5 tackles for loss over the past three seasons. With light feet for a big guy, Hunter offers a balanced blend of strength, length and movements. He can post up on run downs and shut down A-gaps, while also flashing the lateral range to make more plays away from his square than your average nose. He is naturally strong, although high pads and a narrow base can take away from his power supply. He is limited on passing downs and is more of a slow-burn pocket pusher than a man with a plan. Overall, Hunter doesn’t have the pass-rush skill set to consistently impact the quarterback, but he is instinctive as a run defender and has heavy hands to make stops at the line of scrimmage. He projects as a scheme-diverse, two-gapping nose.