Before the season started, there were a lot of Philadelphia Eagles media members who loved the prospect of edge rusher Jalyx Hunt being a breakout star in 2025 to replace Josh Sweat in the starting lineup. Hunt has undoubtedly lived up to those expectations.
Hunt has been on a tear of late as he has racked up nine quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks in the last four games, including a 2.5-sack performance against the Los Angeles Chargers and a two-sack performance in the Week 17 win over the Buffalo Bills. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has loved what he has seen in Hunt.
“He works really hard, great personality, and that's the key," Sirianni said via Eagles reporter Cayden Steele. "You can have all the talent in the world, but you’ve got to work your butt off because everyone is talented in this league. He works his butt off. [Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers Coach Jeremiah] Wash[burn] does a great job of helping him continue to get better with his expertise as his position coach. Just see daily consistency from Jalyx since the day he's gotten here, of working and getting better as a football player.”
Hunt is going to be a beast for Philly for a long time
This season has been fantastic for the 2024 third-round pick out of Cornell and Houston Christian. In 16 games, Hunt has recorded 50 tackles, 29 pressures, 24 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and one pick-six.
Sirianni talked about how the Eagles can see that athleticism in Hunt, as he used to be a wide receiver back in the day. It's crazy to see the combination of size and speed from Hunt that has made him a dream fit for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's defense.
Fangio needs athletic edge rushers who can pressure the quarterback while also stepping back into coverage when needed. Hunt is a perfect example of someone who can do both better than any other edge rusher on the team.
There were glimpses at the end of the year with Hunt where fans could see the potential. Not sure many people would have thought that they would see the Year 2 leap they have in Hunt.
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Going into this playoff run for the Eagles, Hunt is going to play a bigger role than many would have expected with Jaelan Phillips and Nolan Smith Jr. also there. Hunt might end up being the most important edge rusher on the team.