INDIANAPOLIS – Lee Hunter is considered one of the Atlanta Falcons’ top targets in the NFL Draft. The defensive lineman from Texas Tech came in at 6-foot-3 and 318 pounds, making him an absolutely massive human, but down from his listed weight of 330 pounds. NBC Sports’ Eric Froton listed Hunter as one of his “losers” from the NFL Combine.
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“Hunter was a pivotal component of the Red Raiders’ CFP Playoff run, anchoring the middle of their defense and providing exemplary run defense chops. However, his Combine showing revealed some athletic limitations that could hinder his draft stock. The stocky tackle recorded the second-slowest 40-yard dash (5.18s = 46th%) and third-slowest 10-yard split (1.79s = 35th%) from the DT group. Even more concerning was Hunter’s 29th-percentile broad jump (8’04”) and floor-scraping 21.5” vertical that ranks in the 2nd-percentile of all-time Combine defensive linemen. While Hunter has been considered a dark-horse first-rounder, it’s hard to envision teams betting on an interior lineman with a 37th-percentile athletic profile, regardless of on-field production,” Froton wrote.
While on the surface, this report may worry some Falcons fans, it may end up being a blessing in disguise for the franchise. Hunter started to see his draft stock rise in recent weeks, but if he were to rise much further, then he may slip out of their reach at pick 48.
Hunter reportedly did well in interviews and has been good on tape. He finished his fourth year at Texas Tech with 41 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. The defensive lineman also has an affinity for stopping the run, which coincidentally is an area the Falcons are looking to improve in next season.
“When you stop the run, then you get a chance to pass rush, especially when you’ve got dogs inside,” the defender said. “You’ll get more one-on-one blocks. So, you can leave one-on-one, and I think I could beat my one-on-one blocks. When you slide to me on third downs, you’ve got 600 pounds to get off on. I feel if I’m one-on-one, that I’m going to beat you.”
If Atlanta is fortunate enough to see him drop to them in the second round, then they may find a true anchor for their interior defensive line.