Eagles use third-round pick to draft pass rusher from little-known school

Eagles use third-round pick to draft pass rusher from little-known school originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Eagles just drafted an edge rusher with tremendous upside from a school you’ve probably never heard of before.

With their third pick in the 2024 draft, the Eagles went defense again, selecting Houston Christian outside linebacker Jalyx Hunt at No. 94 overall.

While they began the day without a third-round pick, the Eagles ended up with defensive back Cooper DeJean and a developmental pass rusher. Hunt was a player who became a riser during the pre-draft cycle as he began to show off his impressive athletic ability.

Hunt, 23, played receiver in high school and began his college career at Cornell as a sub-200-pound safety but transferred to FCS school Houston Christian and emerged as a 6-foot-4, 252-pound edge rusher with athleticism and plenty of desirable physical traits.

Every year the Eagles seem to put a lot of stock into their evaluations of players at the Senior Bowl and that’s where Hunt got a chance to prove himself against better competition this spring.

“I am one of the big boys,” Hunt said in a story from KPRC in Houston. “I guess it did validate some things, not only for me, but for some other people that I can play at the next level and I can play with the guys at the next level. I’ve always felt I had the ability to do so. I just knew what I needed to show and showcase.”

Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote about Hunt in the pre-draft process:

“Hunt is a small-school edge defender possessing notable athletic traits and the potential to get bigger and stronger. He currently lacks the lower-body anchor and general play strength to go up against NFL opponents, but the team drafting him is likely to view him as a developmental prospect in need of time to build his frame and his game. Hunt's speed is obvious as a pass rusher and in run pursuit, but proving he can survive against a downhill running attack could be the difference between challenging for a rotational role or hoping to become a designated pass rusher.”

In 2023, Hunt had 46 tackles, 6 1/2 sacks and 9 TFLs for the Huskies and was named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Hunt is the first player ever to be drafted from Houston Christian University.

The Eagles got a third-round pick in their trade up to get DeJean in the second round. They then traded down from 78 to 86 to 94, picking up an additional two picks in the fourth round on Saturday.

Entering Day 3, the Eagles have three picks in the fourth round, three in the fifth round and one in the sixth.

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