DE Jason Hunter

[SkinBasket]

Did we cut this sad sack and it just hasn't shown up on the wire? He wore #57 in the game against SD and had one move, I think he picked it up from KGB - run wide to the outside and allow the QB and/or RB free reign on that side of the field.

[Joemailman]

He was at practice yesterday.

[SkinBasket]

Well he should be stoned. And not the good stoned.

[Bretsky]

Future sack artist?
Packers rookie fights to make squad
By TOM SILVERSTEIN
tsilverstein@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 17, 2006
Green Bay - No matter how small the school he comes from or how small of a frame he carries, a guy who can rush the passer has a shot at a job in the National Football League.

Meet Green Bay Packers rookie defensive end Jason Hunter.

He might be the smallest lineman on the team at 6 feet 4 inches and 250 pounds, but he is also the quickest, and as the Packers have found in the first two weeks of training camp, he can fire off the ball. Hunter still has an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster but if his pass-rushing technique catches up with his physical ability over the next two weeks, he could find a home.

"Right now, mainly what you see is effort," pro personnel director Reggie McKenzie said. "He's one of those guys you've got to (account for) from the back side, because he can run from the back side. But as far as his strength, he's a lot stronger than what people give him credit for. It's his technique and stuff you've got to hone in on. But I think he's a good prospect."

Hunter might not be well known around the NFL but he has flashed ability in the one-on-one pass-rush drills and some team activity that raises interest. The Packers aren't stocked with pass-rushing ends and could use someone who could come in on third downs and cause havoc with his speed.

He's battling with Mike Montgomery, Kenny Peterson and fellow rookie Dave Tollefson for possibly two roster spots. Of the group he has the best pass-rush potential but before he can be considered a serious candidate, he has to do something in the exhibition games.

By recording a pair of sacks in the morning practice Thursday, Hunter took another step toward vying for a roster spot. If he can continue to get better at using his hands, setting up his moves and figuring out how to make countermoves, he'll help his cause.

"In college, I pretty much worked on my hand placement and my takeoff," Hunter said. "Now when you're going against good competition all the time it forces you to bring out your 'A' game all the time. That's something I'm working on."

The Packers have experimented in the past with undersized pass rushers such as linebackers Marcus Wilkins and Brady Poppinga, but Hunter gives them more of a defensive end mentality at the position. He ran a 4.48-second 40-yard dash and has the potential to put on another 10 pounds.

But he'll have to be special as a pass rusher and solid as a special-teams player to make the roster. Coming from Division I-AA Appalachian State, he hasn't been exposed to the kind of competition faced by other rookies in the locker room.

Hunter didn't start playing football until his senior year in high school, arrived at Appalachian State as a 195-pound end and had to take a redshirt year to clean up his academics. But in his final season he exploded for 13 sacks and 24½ tackles for loss as his team won the Division I-AA national title.

He was the most valuable player of the tournament.

"He was the guy you had to game-plan for because at our level he was very, very dominant," said Packers rookie quarterback Ingle Martin, who played at Furman. "The last play of my college career he knocked the ball out of my hands and that was it."

Hunter's expertise in the game is limited but his physical skills are so impressive he has a shot. He has played the run better than the Packers thought he would, but for now he has to play to his strengths.

"My strength is rushing the passer," Hunter said. "I'm at the bottom of the totem pole here. I just have to show them I can work hard and do whatever they need me to do."

From the Aug. 18, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Have an opinion on this story? Write a letter to the editor or start an online forum.

[woodbuck27]

Re: DE Jason Hunter

Did we cut this sad sack and it just hasn't shown up on the wire? He wore #57 in the game against SD and had one move, I think he picked it up from KGB - run wide to the outside and allow the QB and/or RB free reign on that side of the field.

He's an embarassment to his family. Not living up to his last name.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Even if he makes the team, he's not seeing any playing time....

[SkinBasket]

Him and Horton were the two players i was most disappointed with in that game. Boger looked much better than Horton (not that that's saying a lot), who seemed to be playing the Tyrone Williams style of CB - play 10 yards off your guy, then tackle him after a 8-10 yard gain.

Hunter annoyed the hell out of me. Just kept trying to get the outside corner and would end up blocked 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage while our undersized DTs got bogged down in the middle, leaving that side of the field practically undefended for the RBs to run to or the QB to step up into.

[mraynrand]

I used to enjoy those articles like the one by Silverstein, where they talk about the potential of this guy or that. But, they wear on me now. I don't want to get my hopes up for some undersized fast guy with one move. Once he starts producing in a regular season game, then I'll get excited. Til then, this guy, and his little JSO shill, are just teasing us.

[CaliforniaCheez]

Amazingly enough this was a guy that CFL scouts discussed when observing last week's game.

[4and12to12and4]

I'm tired of reading how KGB has one move, and can't get consistent pressure. Those of you who take him for granted need to aquire some kind of satellite package that gives you a TVO option, rewatch the games keying in only on him, and I guarantee you will change your toon. KGB is a VERY GOOD end, and he gets no respect for it. The reason many think he only has one move is because it is his best move, and he is fast as lightning. But he is also powerful, and creates more pressure than he gets credit for.

[packrulz]

I agree KGB is a good DE but he needs help from the rest of the line so he don't have to deal with double teams all the time. Hunter has great effort and speed, if he's also good on special teams he could make the team as a 3rd down pass rusher. But he is a little small.

[SkinBasket]

I'm tired of reading how KGB has one move, and can't get consistent pressure. Those of you who take him for granted need to aquire some kind of satellite package that gives you a TVO option, rewatch the games keying in only on him, and I guarantee you will change your toon. KGB is a VERY GOOD end, and he gets no respect for it. The reason many think he only has one move is because it is his best move, and he is fast as lightning. But he is also powerful, and creates more pressure than he gets credit for.

First, I would like to point out that neither I, nor anyone else here, has claimed KGB only has one move. I said Hunter has one move, which happens to be the move KGB uses the most to make up for his lack of technique.

In fact, KGB has two moves. The first is the one already covered above (which is suseptable to draws and delays), and the second is to dip inside and be pancaked or otherwise mauled by the O lineman - otherwise known as KGB's "run defense." Since you like TiVo so much, try recording a few games involving other teams with DEs paid much less than KGB that are much more effective against the pass and the run. To do so, simply pick just about any game out there and you'll find an ample example.

KGB is not a "VERY GOOD" DE. He is an adequete to good pass rusher who happens to be massively overpaid.

[KYPack]

I'm tired of reading how KGB has one move, and can't get consistent pressure. Those of you who take him for granted need to aquire some kind of satellite package that gives you a TVO option, rewatch the games keying in only on him, and I guarantee you will change your toon. KGB is a VERY GOOD end, and he gets no respect for it. The reason many think he only has one move is because it is his best move, and he is fast as lightning. But he is also powerful, and creates more pressure than he gets credit for.

No he isn't.

He gets BLOWN off the ball by big LT's on the run. He hurts us in several ways:

-With his huge contract, we can't afford to get rid of him, too big a cap hit.

- With his big salary, we haven't really groomed a successor.

The Vikings and other teams with quality LT's just blast ol' Kabeer into space, 6-7 yards off the ball. He's a good dude & works hard & all that shit, but never should've gotten that huge contract from Shermy, the boy GM.

He's an edge rusher only, a one dimensional player.

[packrulz]

I agree he's overpaid and skinbasket is right, KGB is good, just not VERY GOOD, but couldn't you say that about the entire D-line? KGB gets double teamed a lot due to lack of pressure from the D-line. You don't see the Packers collapsing the pocket much.

[4and12to12and4]

I'm tired of reading how KGB has one move, and can't get consistent pressure. Those of you who take him for granted need to aquire some kind of satellite package that gives you a TVO option, rewatch the games keying in only on him, and I guarantee you will change your toon. KGB is a VERY GOOD end, and he gets no respect for it. The reason many think he only has one move is because it is his best move, and he is fast as lightning. But he is also powerful, and creates more pressure than he gets credit for.

First, I would like to point out that neither I, nor anyone else here, has claimed KGB only has one move. I said Hunter has one move, which happens to be the move KGB uses the most to make up for his lack of technique.

In fact, KGB has two moves. The first is the one already covered above (which is suseptable to draws and delays), and the second is to dip inside and be pancaked or otherwise mauled by the O lineman - otherwise known as KGB's "run defense." Since you like TiVo so much, try recording a few games involving other teams with DEs paid much less than KGB that are much more effective against the pass and the run. To do so, simply pick just about any game out there and you'll find an ample example.

KGB is not a "VERY GOOD" DE. He is an adequete to good pass rusher who happens to be massively overpaid.

OK, I reread your post, I apologize, you didn't say that he only had one move, sorry.

We are going to have to agree to disagree about KGB because I HAVE watched him in games and keyed on him during run plays. I'm not saying he's great against the run, but he is much better than what you are saying here. He holds his own more times than not, and I still think that OVERALL he is a very good DE. Good, very good, these terms are so relative, but what I'm saying is that he is much better than average and DOES apply consistent pressure. If he is up against a pro bowl tackle, he will get beat from time to time, but usually he does well, if he wasn't very good, why do so many teams double up on him. Obviously, there coaches agree with my assessment of him.