Lee Hunter
Carolina PanthersOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
UCF · American Athletic
| Season | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | Hur | PD | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 11 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 640 |
| 2024 | 44 | 10 | 1.0 | 6 | 0 | 57 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
UCF · 2026 draft class
Lee Hunter looks the part of an NFL nose tackle with a thick 6'4", 320-pound frame that demands double teams in the run game. The Mobile, Alabama native arrived at Auburn as a consensus four-star recruit in 2021, ranked among the top defensive tackle prospects nationally. After redshirting under Gus Malzahn, Hunter followed his coach to UCF, where he transformed from a rotational piece into one of the Big 12's most productive interior defenders. His sophomore campaign in 2023 showcased his emergence as a legitimate force, recording 69 tackles to lead all FBS defensive tackles according to PFF while adding 11 TFLs and 3 sacks. Now at Texas Tech, Hunter accumulated 31 tackles, 8 TFLs, and 3 sacks during the 2025 regular season. At a position where production is modest, it's refreshing to see Hunter relentlessly work sideline to sideline from the interior, racking up tackles while also working into the backfield. He's very aware with eyes in the backfield, possessing fast reaction time and coordination to escape blocks quickly. However, his subpar athleticism even for a nose tackle-being late off the ball and playing too high-prevents him from consistently collapsing the pocket.
Strengths
- Prototypical nose tackle frame at 6'4" 320 lbs
- Demands double teams to move in run game
- Led all FBS DTs with 69 tackles in 2023 per PFF
- Very aware with eyes in backfield
- Fast reaction time escaping blocks quickly
- Works sideline to sideline relentlessly
- Gets into backfield finishing TFLs
- 11 TFL 3 sacks breakout 2023 season
- Coordination and awareness from interior
- Four-star recruit with pedigree
Concerns
- Subpar athleticism and quickness for position
- Late off the ball with habit of playing too high
- Lack of agility creates long inefficient paths
- Susceptible to getting reached or scooped
- Appears to have shorter arms limiting extension
- Struggles to sink hips and bend in backfield
- Gets too far up field at times
- Lapses in gap integrity creating cutback lanes
- Doesn't bend at knees tends to lean
Honors
Four-star recruit (2021); 4th round projection (6.9 grade B/R); Auburn to UCF to Texas Tech journey