{{Short description|American football player (born 2001)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Jalyx Hunt | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | current_team = Philadelphia Eagles | number = 58 | position = Linebacker | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|3|13}} | birth_place = Debary, Florida, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 3 | weight_lb = 252 | high_school = {{ubl|Dutch Fork<br>(Irmo, South Carolina)|University<br>(Orange City, Florida)}} | college = Cornell (2019–2021)<br>Houston Christian (2022–2023) | draftyear = 2024 | draftround = 3 | draftpick = 94 | pastteams = * Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present) | status = Active | highlights = * Super Bowl champion (LIX) * Second-team FCS All-American (2023) * SLC Defensive Player of the Year (2023) * First-team All-SLC (2023) * Second-team All-SLC (2022) | statseason = 2025 | statweek = | statlabel1 = Total tackles | statvalue1 = 73 | statlabel2 = Sacks | statvalue2 = 8 | statlabel3 = Forced fumbles | statvalue3 = 4 | statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue4 = 1 | statlabel5 = Pass deflections | statvalue5 = 4 | statlabel6 = Interceptions | statvalue6 = 3 | statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns | statvalue7 = 1 | pfr = H/HuntJa02 }}
'''Jalyx Benjamin Hunt''' ({{Respell|JAY|-|liks}}; born March 13, 2001) is an American professional football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Cornell Big Red and the Houston Christian Huskies and was selected by the Eagles in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.
==Early life== Hunt spent several years in Maryland and then South Carolina before moving to Florida. In 2011, he won Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) championships at the Junior Olympic Games in triathlon and long jump.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |title=Jalyx Hunt |url=https://cornellbigred.com/sports/football/roster/jalyx-hunt/63345 |access-date=June 8, 2024 |publisher=Cornell Big Red}}</ref> He attended Dutch Fork High School in South Carolina for one year, playing varsity football despite being a freshman.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Cleavenger |first=Alexus |date=March 7, 2019 |title=Willing to excel: Jalyx Hunt finds his path and develops his craft |url=https://uhspress.com/11281/editors-choice/willing-to-excel-jalyx-hunt-finds-his-path-and-develops-his-craft/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928235802/https://uhspress.com/11281/editors-choice/willing-to-excel-jalyx-hunt-finds-his-path-and-develops-his-craft/ |archive-date=September 28, 2020 |website=University High School Press}}</ref>
Hunt then moved to Florida and attended University High School in Orange City for his sophomore through senior years.<ref name="auto" /> He played football, basketball, and participated in track & field in the high jump, long jump, and triple jump at University High School. He was named all-county at wide receiver in his senior year, totaling 20 receptions for 475 yards and two touchdowns while being co-team captain and offensive MVP.<ref name="auto1" /> He committed to play college football for the Cornell Big Red, being an unranked prospect.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grubbs, Grant |date=February 1, 2024 |title=Jalyx Hunt playing at Senior Bowl with a chip on his shoulder |url=https://www.on3.com/news/jalyx-hunt-playing-at-senior-bowl-with-a-chip-on-his-shoulder/ |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=On3.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Boyle, Chris |date=December 4, 2018 |title=DeLand's McNair, University's Hunt make their choices |url=https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2018/12/04/recruiting-trail-delands-mcnair-universitys-hunt-make-their-choices/7109723007/ |access-date=June 8, 2024 |work=Daytona Beach News-Journal}}</ref>
==College career== Hunt began his collegiate career as a safety at Cornell in 2019, playing seven games and posting three tackles.<ref name="auto1" /> The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jalyx Hunt |url=https://hcuhuskies.com/sports/football/roster/jalyx-hunt/5664 |access-date=June 8, 2024 |publisher=Houston Christian Huskies}}</ref> He had 26 tackles in 10 games in 2021.<ref name="auto1" /> Hunt opted to transfer to the Houston Baptist Huskies – soon after renamed the Houston Christian Huskies – in 2022.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hogue, Cory |date=November 16, 2023 |title=From Ivy League to HCU, Jalyx Hunt’s next stop could be the NFL |url=https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2023/11/16/from-ivy-league-to-hcu-jalyx-hunts-next-stop-could-be-the-nfl?ref=article_preview_img |access-date=June 8, 2024 |magazine=Dave Campbell's Texas Football}}</ref> He moved to the defensive line at Houston Christian and was second-team All-Southland Conference in 2022, either holding or tying for the conference lead in tackles-for-loss (11.5), sacks (7) and forced fumbles (3).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Steenkamer, Daniel |date=August 27, 2023 |title=FCS: 2023 Southland Conference Football Preview |url=https://herosports.com/fcs-football-2023-southland-football-preview-dsds/ |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=HERO Sports}}</ref> Hunt returned in 2023 and was named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American; he ended his two-year Houston Christian stint with 133 tackles, 20.5 tackles-for-loss and 13.5 sacks.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |last=McKinnell, Zach |date=February 3, 2024 |title=Houston Christian EDGE Jalyx Hunt Making History At 2024 Senior Bowl |url=https://www.si.com/college/fcs/southland/houston-christian-edge-jalyx-hunt-proves-he-belongs-at-2024-reeses-senior-bowl-fcs-football |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> He was invited to the 2024 Senior Bowl and became the first player from his school ever to receive the honor, as well as being one of only four from the FCS to receive an invite that year.<ref name="auto2" />
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 3 3/4 | weight = 252 | dash = 4.64 | ten split = 1.60 | twenty split = 2.68 | shuttle = 4.38 | cone drill = 7.18 | vertical = 37.5 | broad ft = 10 | broad in = 8 | bench = 19 | arm span = 34 3/8 | hand span = 10 | wingspan ft = 6 | wingspan in = 10 3/4 | note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jalyx-hunt/32004855-4e24-9742-b212-73017a032b03 |title=Jalyx Hunt Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1059591&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout Jalyx Hunt College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref> }}
Hunt was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round (94th overall pick) of the 2024 NFL draft, becoming the first player to be drafted in the history of Houston Christian.<ref name="first">{{Cite web |last=Hogue |first=Cory |date=April 26, 2024 |title=FB: Hunt Becomes First HCU Player Selected in NFL Draft |url=https://hcuhuskies.com/news/2024/4/26/football-fb-hunt-becomes-first-hcu-player-selected-in-nfl-draft.aspx |access-date=June 8, 2024 |website=HCU Huskies Athletics}}</ref> Hunt recorded a half-sack in Super Bowl LIX, a 40–22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LIX - Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles - February 9th, 2025 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202502090phi.htm |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
Hunt began the 2025 campaign as one of Philadelphia's starting linebackers. In Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings, Hunt recorded his first career interception against Carson Wentz, and returned the ball 42 yards for his first career touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Eagles' Jalyx Hunt: Records pick-six in Week 7 win|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/eagles-jalyx-hunt-records-pick-six-in-week-7-win/|access-date=January 2, 2026|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}</ref> Hunt finished the 2025 regular season leading the team both in sacks (6.5) and interceptions (3), becoming the first player in Eagles history to lead the team in sacks and interceptions in a season.<ref>{{Cite web|first= Patrick|last= McAvoy|title= Jalyx Hunt Makes Eagles History In Second Season|url= https://www.si.com/nfl/eagles/onsi/news/jalyx-hunt-makes-eagles-history-in-second-season-pat3|date=January 5, 2026|website=Sports Illustrated|language=en}}</ref>
==NFL career statistics== {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2"| Legend |- | style="background:#afe6ba;"| | Won the Super Bowl |- | '''Bold''' | Career high |}
===Regular season=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Tackles ! colspan="3"| Fumbles ! colspan="6"| Interceptions |- ! GP !! GS !! Comb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sack !! TFL !! FF !! FR !! Yds !! Int !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! PD |- ! 2024 !! style="background:#afe6ba;"|PHI | 16 || 1 || 21 || 12 || 9 || 1.5 || 1 || '''2''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 1 |- ! 2025 !! PHI | 17 || 9 || '''52''' || '''28''' || '''24''' || '''6.5''' || '''9''' || '''2''' || '''1''' || 0 || '''3''' || '''53''' || '''17.7''' || '''42''' || '''1''' || '''3''' |- ! colspan="2" | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntJa02/gamelog/ Career] ! 33 !! 10 !! 73 !! 40 !! 33 !! 8.0 !! 10 !! 4 !! 1 !! 0 !! 3 !! 53 !! 17.7 !! 42 !! 1 !! 4 |}
===Postseason=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Tackles ! colspan="3"| Fumbles ! colspan="6"| Interceptions |- ! GP !! GS !! Comb !! Solo !! Ast !! Sack !! TFL !! FF !! FR !! Yds !! Int !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! PD |- ! |2024 || style="background:#afe6ba;"|PHI | 4 || 0 || '''10''' || '''7''' || '''3''' || '''1.5''' || '''1''' || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! |2025 || PHI | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 |- ! colspan="2" | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntJa02/gamelog/post/ Career] ! 5 !! 0 !! 10 !! 7 !! 3 !! 1.5 !! 1 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0.0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 |}
==Personal life== Hunt is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Talbot |first=Damond |date=July 18, 2023 |title=2024 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Jalyx Hunt, DE, Houston Christian University |url=https://nfldraftdiamonds.com/2023/07/jalyx-hunt/ |access-date=May 16, 2024 |website=NFL Draft Diamonds}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/players-roster/jalyx-hunt/ Philadelphia Eagles bio] *[https://cornellbigred.com/sports/football/roster/jalyx-hunt/63345 Cornell Big Red bio] *[https://hcuhuskies.com/sports/football/roster/jalyx-hunt/5664 Houston Christian Huskies bio]
{{Eagles2024DraftPicks}} {{Philadelphia Eagles roster navbox}} {{Super Bowl LIX}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, Jalyx}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:American football safeties Category:American football defensive ends Category:Players of American football from Volusia County, Florida Category:People from DeBary, Florida Category:Players of American football from Maryland Category:Cornell Big Red football players Category:Houston Christian Huskies football players Category:Philadelphia Eagles players Category:21st-century American sportsmen