Robert Hunt 2020 NFL Draft Profile

Robert Hunt is a powerful, nasty offensive tackle who has a strong record of success in the run-heavy offense of Louisiana-Lafayette. Hunt has an incredible story of overcoming poverty, after moving to escape his plight, then having his family home destroyed by Hurricane Rita, followed by a move to a decrepit, hole-filled house. He has been a strong family member all his life and consequently a strong team member. He would move once again during high school and finish a strong football career at Burkeville High School.

His tenacious football style fit perfectly into the Sun Belt and Louisiana-Lafayette, starting as a redshirt freshman. He played left tackle, left guard in his first two years and then as a right tackle in his final season. His last year also included his biggest knock: a groin injury that limited him to a mere seven games and kept him from performing in the 2020 Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.

Strengths

Tenacious – can usually be spotted mauling and pushing defenders around;

Strong frame and bodywork;

Incredible balance in first several steps; if he catches a defender, they won’t get away;

Good punch and handwork to guide defenders;

Good inside step to work downline.

Weaknesses

Finesse is a challenge for him – has relied on strength, and more athletic NFL defenders may get away from him;

Can get caught on frames and over commit, unable to recover;

His pass blocking drops on occasion look like run blocking;

Lingering groin injury that kept him out of the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine;

Dominated in a run-first system that has not exposed possible bigger weaknesses in pass blocking.

NFL Comparison: Cameron Erving

Projection: Fourth Round

Bottom Line on Robert Hunt

Robert Hunt has a very high-end – long-term starter – and a low-end that puts him as a back-up offensive guard. The biggest vulnerability in his work is a groin injury that may limit his ability to improve his athleticism to the demands of the NFL. His ability to punch, stay on, and intimidate defenders is impressive, but it’s a tactic that he has relied on to beat college players. He also needs to improve pass blocking technique when he starts to get beat; when things go wrong, he ends up run blocking backwards, giving up leverage on the edge.

Hunt’s technique and prototype frame, however, are NFL quality. He has a strong frame that can turn him into one of the most violent and tenacious offensive linemen in the NFL. Once he catches a defender, very rarely will they break away from him, giving him ample room to wear down smaller and less active defenders. He is strong enough to move interior and operate as a mobile guard should he not develop the lateral skills needed to beat the average defender. At worst, a team secures an offensive guard for a quaint four-year career; at best, they secure a tackle who can hold the edge for a decade.

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