Lee Hunter — Scouting Report

DynastySignal | 2026 NFL Draft

The Short Version

Lee Hunter is a massive, surprisingly athletic interior defensive lineman who brings exactly what NFL teams pay big money for at the nose tackle position: anchor, effort, and legitimate versatility across the interior. The case for Hunter is straightforward — at 6'4", 330 lbs with real movement skills, CBS Sports rated him the No. 4 DL prospect in this class, and the film backs up that he plays with consistent motor and an ability to collapse pockets despite only 1 official sack on his resume. The case against is equally clear: his pad level is frequently too high for a taller DT, his pass-rush arsenal is almost entirely power/bull rush with undeveloped counters, and his college sack production (1 sack in 2024 at UCF) raises legitimate questions about whether he can translate interior pressure into NFL disruption. He's a high-floor, question-mark-ceiling prospect — dynasty rosters should treat him as a plug-and-play starter with controlled upside rather than a star-maker.

Measurables & Background

| Attribute | Detail |

|---|---|

| Name | Lee Hunter |

| Position | DT (interior DL) |

| School | Texas Tech (transfer from UCF) |

| Class | 2026 Draft |

| Height | 6'4" |

| Weight | 330 lbs |

| Jersey | #2 |

| Conference | Big 12 |

| Awards | 2nd Team All-Big 12 (2024) |

| CBS DL Rank | No. 4 DL, 2026 Draft (per CBS Sports/Ran Carthon) |

Background note: Hunter transferred to Texas Tech from UCF after the 2024 season, where he posted 44 tackles and 1 sack with the Knights in a Big 12 slate. His 2025 season at Texas Tech was played against Big 12 competition including BYU, Oregon State, Arizona State, and West Virginia — all visible in the film sample.

Film Sources Reviewed

| Source | Frames | Key Content |

|---|---|---|

| NFL Draft Talk — Lee Hunter 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report \| Texas Tech DT Film Breakdown (4:43) | 18 frames (film_001–018) | Podcast panel discussion; confirms measurables: 6'4", 330 lbs, Texas Tech DT |

| NFL on CBS — Lee Hunter 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Texas Tech DL Moves Very Well For His Size (9:08) | 18 frames (highlights_001–018) | Ryan Wilson & Ran Carthon deep dive; confirms transfer from UCF, 2nd Team All-Big 12 2024, ranked No. 4 DL; 2024 UCF stats: 44 TKL, 1 SACK, 0 PD; action photography from UCF |

| The NFL Film Room — Lee Hunter College Football Highlights \| Texas Tech DT \| NFL Draft Film (4:37) | 19 frames (film_2_001–019) | Game footage vs. Oregon State, BYU, Arizona State, West Virginia; shows pre-snap alignment, pass rush, run defense, pursuit, and effort across multiple situations |

What The Film Shows

Pass Rush Moves

Grade: 55/100 — Below Average for Projected Draft Range

Hunter's pass rush is functional but almost entirely one-dimensional on this film. His go-to move is a pure power bull rush — he fires off the ball with good initial quickness, gets his hands on the guard's chest plate, and drives forward to collapse the pocket (film_2_009, film_2_019). When he's winning, it's because he's overpowering the guard with his combination of size and hand placement on the inside frame of the blocker. On 3rd-and-long situations (film_2_009: 3rd & 10 vs Oregon State; film_2_019: 3rd & 8 vs Oregon State), he's generating enough interior push to tighten the pocket and affect the QB's throwing platform even when he doesn't get home.

The concern is what happens when the bull rush doesn't work — and against NFL-caliber guards, a pure power rush won't win consistently. In multiple frames (film_2_013, film_2_016), when Hunter's initial surge is stalled, he appears stuck without a counter: he gets locked up in the blocker's hands, plays too upright, and gets controlled. There's minimal evidence of a swim, rip, push-pull, or spin move in the film sample. His 1 official sack in the entire 2024 UCF season (highlights_005) tells you this pass rush limitation is real, not a sample-size artifact. The good news: the athletic tools to develop counters are there, and his hand placement has the right foundation. This is a coachable problem, but it's still a problem.

First Step & Motor

Grade: 75/100 — Above Average

Hunter consistently shows off a quick first step that is genuinely surprising for a 330-pound man. In multiple pre-snap frames (film_2_001, film_2_004, film_2_008, film_2_015), his stance is textbook — wide base, coiled hips, hand down with weight distributed forward, eyes up reading the offensive line. He fires out of his stance with initial quickness that matches the title of the CBS segment: "moves very well for his size." The highlight frames at CBS (highlights_004) confirm this is a calling card, not a fluke.

His motor is equally impressive. He's playing hard on all downs, including in blowout situations (film_2_012: 3rd quarter, 38-0 against Oregon State — still generating interior push on 3rd & 8). He pursues ball carriers beyond the initial engagement and is willing to chase plays laterally well past the snap (film_2_007: pursuit chase in a scramble drill vs BYU). In an era where 330-pound linemen often coast through non-crucial downs, Hunter's consistent effort level across every film sample is a real selling point.

Run Defense

Grade: 72/100 — Solid Starting NFL Caliber

Hunter's run defense is his most complete and NFL-ready skillset. He anchors well at the point of attack and doesn't get displaced laterally, maintaining his gap assignment even against double-team blocking schemes (film_2_001, film_2_011). In multiple run-defense frames (film_2_008: vs Arizona State, film_2_001: vs Oregon State), he's functioning as a space-eater and gap controller — not necessarily making splash plays but keeping the interior lanes clean and funneling runners to linebacker help.

His best trait in run defense is that he plays with awareness of his assignment rather than just trying to make individual splash plays. In film_2_004 (2nd & 10, BYU) and film_2_006 (pre-snap 1st & 10, Oregon State), he's consistently aligned correctly and fires into his gap, not getting caught peeking at the backfield. The biggest run-defense concern is shedding blocks — when his initial contact doesn't immediately win, he can get locked up in the blocker's hands and taken out of the play (film_2_016). His hand violence needs to improve to become a true run-stuffer at the NFL level, where every guard he faces will be able to attack his chest frame if his hands don't shoot first.

Length & Power

Grade: 80/100 — Legitimate NFL Asset

At 6'4", 330 lbs with the athleticism on display, Hunter's physical package is the core of his draft value. His length creates natural leverage problems for shorter guards who can't get under his pads, and his frame size means he can two-gap at nose tackle in a 3-4 system or penetrate one-gap in a 4-3/odd front. In the CBS segment (highlights_002, highlights_004), Ran Carthon specifically emphasizes his movement skills and physique as setting him apart from other interior linemen at this weight class. The action photo from his UCF days (highlights_004) shows him engaged in a pass rush with active hands and an upright (but powerful) frame battling an offensive lineman — the sheer mass advantage is visible.

His power at the point of attack is most evident when driving guards backward on bull rush (film_2_019) and when anchoring in 2-gap run defense against heavy personnel (film_2_002: vs BYU with heavy OL packages). He doesn't get knocked off his spot. The concern with his length is the same concern you always have with taller DTs: it becomes leverage liability when he plays upright (film_2_013, film_2_016). He needs consistent low pad level — at 6'4", that requires intentional technique work, not just natural leverage.

Versatility

Grade: 68/100 — Functional Multi-Gap Player

Hunter is deployed at 1-tech (shade nose), 3-tech, and wider alignments across the film sample, suggesting Texas Tech values his flexibility (film_2_006 at shade nose, film_2_001 at 3-tech, film_2_004 at 3-tech, film_2_015 at a wider technique vs the opponent in gold helmets). This isn't just scheme-specific — the fact that he can execute pre-snap stance and gap integrity from multiple alignments shows genuine understanding of interior DL play.

That said, his versatility is a "plus" value-add rather than a defining feature. He's not an edge player and won't suddenly be asked to drop into coverage. The value here is that an NFL DC can align him at 1-tech to two-gap a center, 3-tech to penetrate a B-gap, or even kick him out wide to force mismatches with tackles on specific rush packages. For a 330-pound man to be that adaptable is above average in this class.

Strengths Summary

Concerns & Risks

NFL Comp

Primary Comp: David Onyemata (Carolina Panthers/current era)

Onyemata is a 6'4", 310-lb interior DL known for his athleticism at his size, consistent motor, and ability to generate interior push without elite sack production. Hunter is bigger (330 vs. 310) and less refined as a pass rusher, but the same archetype applies: a powerful, active, athletic interior DL who succeeds in run defense first and provides pocket-collapsing value as a complementary pass rusher. Onyemata was a 6th-round pick who became a quality starter — Hunter's athletic profile is significantly better, suggesting a higher ceiling with the right coaching.

Secondary Comp: Linval Joseph (prime years, New York Giants/Minnesota Vikings)

Joseph was a 6'3", 335-lb nose tackle who ran the same "massive-but-athletic" profile. He was never a double-digit sack guy, but his ability to control two gaps, anchor against the run, and create interior chaos made him one of the league's best interior defenders for nearly a decade. Hunter is a less refined version of this archetype entering the league — if the pad-level and hand-violence issues get corrected at the NFL level, a Joseph-style career of sustained starting value is a realistic ceiling.

Bottom Line

Lee Hunter is a genuine NFL starting talent at interior defensive tackle — his combination of 6'4", 330 lbs of frame with legitimate athleticism and a motor that never shuts off is rare enough that he belongs on Day 2. The floor is a long-term starting nose tackle who anchors run defense and generates occasional interior pocket pressure; the ceiling is a David Onyemata-level impact defender who makes multiple Pro Bowl alternates if his pass-rush counters develop under professional coaching. For dynasty purposes, he's not a fantasy asset in the traditional sense — DTs don't produce fantasy points — but he's the kind of foundational player who makes NFL rosters sustainably competitive, and his draft capital will reflect a genuine blue-chip prospect rather than a one-trick pony.

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 72/100

Projected Pick: R2, Pick 35–52

Film Score: 72 / 100

Scout 2 Report: Lee Hunter | DL | Texas Tech

The Short Version

Hunter's a massive road-grader with Day 2 starter traits, but the \"moves very well for his size\" hype is overstated—he's powerful but stiff, better suited as a power 3-tech than versatile edge. Pass on top-40 if chasing athletes.

Measurables & Background

| Measurable | Value |

|----------------|----------------|

| Height | 6'4\" |

| Weight | 330 lbs |

| Age | 21 |

| Position | DT |

| School | Texas Tech |

| Background | Transfer from UCF (44 TKL, 1 SK 2024); Team All-Big 12 candidate |

Film Sources

| Source | Duration | Frames | Prefix |

|---------------------------------|----------|--------|------------|

| NFL Draft Talk Film Breakdown | 4:43 | 18 | film_ |

| NFL on CBS Highlights | 9:08 | 18 | highlights_ |

| The NFL Film Room Highlights | 4:37 | 19 | film_2_ |

Film Analysis

Run Defense: 8/10 (B+) — Anchors doubles effectively but can get moved late (film_007 holds ground vs Oregon St double; highlights_010 stuffs RB in gap).

Power/Strength: 9/10 (A-) — Elite bull strength displaces centers (film_005 crushes C on bull; film_2_006 pancakes guard).

Get-Off/Explosiveness: 6/10 (C+) — Average snap quickness, beaten inside early too often (film_2_003 slow vs BYU; highlights_003 lags off ball).

Block Shedding/Hand Usage: 7/10 (B-) — Violent clubs but inconsistent rip/swim (highlights_012 sheds with punch; film_011 stuck on reach block).

Pass Rush: 7/10 (B-) — Power wins but no counters, stalls vs slide (film_010 pocket push; film_2_014 collapses but no sack finish).

Pursuit/Lateral Mobility: 6/10 (C) — Functional chase but stiff hips whiff angles (highlights_015 overruns RB; film_2_017 poor COD).

Overall Grade: B

Strengths

Concerns

Dynasty Outlook

Year 1: Rotational 3-tech (10-15 snaps) in power/gap schemes (e.g., PIT, DET). Year 2: Full-time starter if adds swim/rip. Year 3: Pro Bowl potential if scheme fits, bust risk in zone-heavy teams needing speed.

NFL Comp

Bottom Line

Hunter's a plug-and-play power DT for run-heavy fronts, but don't buy the athlete comps—he's no top-32 talent. Target late Day 2.

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 84/100

Projected Pick: R2, Pick 40-60

Film Score: 84 / 100