The Patriots have been looking for more pop at stand-up linebacker, and Erick Hunter gives them a fresh shot at it.
New England added the undrafted rookie to the 53-man roster on Tuesday after his stint with the Detroit Lions, and the appeal is pretty clear: Hunter is a 23-year-old linebacker who brings speed, violence, and some real production to the table. The Patriots needed a change after a shaky preseason at the position, and Hunter arrives with a chance to carve out a role quickly.
His college résumé at Morgan State is hard to ignore. Over five seasons, Hunter piled up 298 tackles, which ranks second in program history, and he earned HBCU All-American honors along the way.
He also led the MEAC in tackles last year with 102, including 14 tackles for loss. During the pre-draft process, he turned in a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at the HBCU Combine.
"(It) was just another opportunity to prove what I’ve been working on in the dark," Hunter said at the time. "I came out focused, fast, and physical.
I want to show teams I can run, cover, and make plays sideline to sideline. I’m never satisfied - there’s always more to prove."
That physical style showed up in the takeaway column, too. Hunter forced three fumbles last season at Morgan State, then added another fumble recovery in the Lions’ second preseason game. He finished the summer with 70 defensive snaps and an 83.1 Pro Football Focus grade.
Detroit cut him as part of roster trimming this past weekend. New England put in a waiver claim on Monday, but after landing Darius Muagau through that route, the Patriots passed on Hunter then. He still ended up in Foxborough on the active roster anyway.
The linebacker room is already crowded with Robert Spillane, Christian Elliss, Muagau, Namdi Obiazor and Khalil Jacobs, who is on IR. K.J Britt and Riley Wilson are on the practice squad. Still, Mike Vrabel’s comments about the Patriots not being deep enough made it obvious the team wanted more bodies in that group.
Hunter probably isn’t walking in and taking over. Spillane and Elliss formed a strong pair last season, and Muagau has NFL experience with the New York Giants. The more likely path is a rotational role, with special teams work baked in.
That’s where Hunter could matter fast. He can bring toughness to a defense that already has plenty of it, while also helping on special teams and offering another option as a third-down linebacker. For a Patriots team trying to build the league’s top scoring defense, that kind of addition can fit neatly into the puzzle.
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