cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Lee Hunter /Texas Tech

Lee Hunter

DL · Texas Tech · Sr · #2

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

42 TACKLES · 3 SACKS

2026 NFL DRAFTDrafted by Carolina — Rd 2, Pick 17, #49 overall

Where He Ended Up · NFL

Carolina2026 NFL rookie season

#49Rd 2 · Pick 17
Carolina2026 NFL rookie season

DL · TEXAS TECH · BIG 12

Lee Hunter

  • 4
  • #2
  • 6-4 | 325 lb
  • Mobile, AL

CFB Zeitgeist Score

72

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by sacks at the 89th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#8008

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP DEFENSE AWARD

Nagurski

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R06 · Starter

Starter. A locked-in starting role.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career arc · Season-by-season Standing

4 seasons on the ladder

Peak: R11 National watch / fringe AA · 2025

2022

UCF · DL

2023

UCF · DL

2024

UCF · DL

2025

Texas Tech · DL

R11 · National watch / fringe AA

Recognized

NFL Draft 2026 · Rd 2, Pick 17 · #49 overall · Carolina

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★★
#81 national
CFB
College
2 teams
2022–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
R2 &middot; #49
Carolina &middot; 2026

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionDL
Class4
Jersey2
Measurements6-4 | 325 lb
HometownMobile, AL
Primary teamTexas Tech

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 4-star No. 81 recruit
Composite rating 0.9633 HighSchool
Signed with Auburn 2021
Origin Blount Eight Mile, AL, USA
Class Profile Context
2021 4-star | 0.9633 No. 81 recruit | HighSchool | Auburn

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 2 Programs changed on file
Latest destination Texas Tech 2025
Transfer stars 4-star CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility Immediate Dec 18, 2024
Season Move Context
2025 UCF -> Texas Tech 4-star | 0.9200 | Immediate
2022 Auburn -> UCF 4-star | 0.9000 | Immediate

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#8008Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#8538Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

Achievements

  • Honors Badge 0.7% Honors Badge Recognized on a major honors list (Heisman, All-American, Davey O'Brien, Maxwell, Walter Camp, Nagurski, Biletnikoff). Held by 0.7% of the 2025 pool. Recognized on: All-America (ESPN).

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★★☆

to Auburn

Composite

0.9633

#81 national

NFL Draft

2026 · Rd 2, Pick 17

#49 overall · Carolina

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Lee Hunter

Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal

The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.

Cohort divergence map

Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Lee Hunter

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the defensive totals stand

final
Through 14g
42Tackles
11Tackles for loss
3Sacks
Per game
3Tackles
0.8Tackles for loss
0.2Sacks
Final
42Tackles
11Tackles for loss
3Sacks

Why this is a rare defensive case

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Lee Hunter is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Texas Tech's defense, with 3.0 sacks, 11.0 tackles for loss, and -- interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.

Current place #8008 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Blue-chip pedigree No. 81 recruit

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

DEF season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Total tackles 42 18 solo | #834/4942 (83rd pct)
TFL 11.0 Backfield disruption | #74/4972 (99th pct)
Sacks 3.0 Pass-rush finish | #292/4972 (94th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

High-disruption defender | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defenderHigh-volume tackler

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
42 83rd
SOLO
18 74th
TFL
11.0 99th
SACK
3.0 94th
QBH
3 75th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 14 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1W 67-7vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff100.50.50Season-high 7 tackles
Wk 2W 62-14vs Kent State200.00.00
Wk 3W 45-14vs Oregon State500.50.00
Wk 4W 34-10@ Utah210.00.00
Wk 6W 35-11@ Houston320.00.00
Wk 7W 42-17vs Kansas200.50.00
Wk 8L 22-26@ Arizona State431.01.00
Wk 9W 42-0vs Oklahoma State300.00.00
Wk 10W 43-20@ Kansas State111.00.00
Wk 11W 29-7vs BYU211.01.00
Wk 12W 48-9vs UCF321.00.00
Wk 14W 49-0@ West Virginia322.50.502.5 TFL
Wk 15W 34-7vs BYU411.00.00
BowlL 0-23vs Oregon752.00.00
Total421811.03.00
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2022UCF9-5HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2023UCF6-7HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-leaning
2024UCF4-8HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-heavy
2025Texas Tech12-2HC: Joey McGuire · Balanced
SeasonTeam
2025Texas Tech421811.03.0------
2024UCF44199.51.0------
2023UCF573210.02.01----
2022UCF1161.01.0------
Career4 loaded seasons1547531.57.01----
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Disruption stats

TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.

Coverage splash

Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

INT -- -- pick-six TD
Pass breakups 0 Coverage disruption
QB pressures 3 Quarterback hurries | #462/1878 (75th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 42 #834/4942 83rd pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 11.0 #74/4972 99th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 3.0 #292/4972 94th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 3 #462/1878 75th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 18 #1178/4584 74th pct Volumevs FBS DEF

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

NATIONAL WATCH

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

NATIONAL WATCH · Rung 11 of 16

Why he’s here

National watch / fringe All-American — on the edge of a 1st-team nod.

What moves him up

Convert a fringe mention into a 1st-team NCAA-selector All-American spot.

What moves him down

A quiet close drops this back to the conference honors.

Accolade streams

1st-team selections2×1ST

First-team selections from 2 selectors.

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 14 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home9g3.20.70.20.0
Road5g2.60.90.30.0

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins12g2.60.70.20.0
Losses2g5.51.50.50.0

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-77g3.10.50.10.0
Weeks 8+7g2.91.10.40.0

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the DL cohort

72Solid starter
6 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: tackles for loss (97th). Strength: sacks (88th). Concern: passes defended (17th).

Tackles for loss#74 / 2975 · 97th pct
11.0defe
Sacks#291 / 2975 · 89th pct
3.0defe
QB hurries#457 / 2975 · 82nd pct
3defe
Tackles#834 / 2975 · 71st pct
42defe
Solo tackles#1178 / 2975 · 59th pct
18defe
Passes defended#1916 / 2975 · 18th pct
0defe

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · DL · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 6 metrics
Lee HunterTexas TechMarcAnthony ParkerNavy· 81% simEthan WesloskiNorth Texas· 79% simMicah DaveyUTEP· 77% sim
Tackles for loss
97
Hunter
87
Parker
95
Wesloski
91
Davey
Sacks
89
Hunter
80
Parker
74
Wesloski
63
Davey
QB hurries
82
Hunter
88
Parker
95
Wesloski
82
Davey
Tackles
71
Hunter
98
Parker
99
Wesloski
99
Davey
Solo tackles
59
Hunter
96
Parker
99
Wesloski
99
Davey
Passes defended
18
Hunter
18
Parker
18
Wesloski
18
Davey

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Nose Anchor

Two-gap space-eater who occupies blockers and frees the linebackers.

IDL

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Joshua Harris’s 2022 season.

Joshua Harris

90%match

NC State · 2022

#2

Omari Thomas

Tennessee · 2024

83%
#3

Brandon Lane

Wisconsin · 2025

83%
#4

Da'Jon Terry

Oklahoma · 2023

82%
#5

David Gusta

Kentucky · 2025

81%

Matches Joshua on

Weight
Height
TFL rate

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Da'Jon Terry's senior season at Oklahoma (2023).

Da'Jon Terry

88%match

Oklahoma · 2023

#2

Brandon Lane

Wisconsin · 2025

86%
#3

David Gusta

Kentucky · 2025

86%
#4

Deandre Jules

Pittsburgh · 2023

76%
#5

Lawrence Johnson

Auburn · 2023

74%

Matches Da'Jon on

Class year
Weight
TFL rate

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Joey McGuire

Pass share

47.6%

484 pass / 532 run

Plays / game

72.6

14 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

6.5%

336 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Balanced.

Coaching Lineage · 2022–2025

1 coach
2022
Joey McGuire
Texas Tech
2023
Joey McGuire
Texas Tech
2024
Joey McGuire
Texas Tech
2025
Joey McGuire
Texas Tech

Played his entire career under Joey McGuire.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownMobile, AL
Height6'4"
Weight325 lb
Class4
PositionDL
Jersey2

Trophy Case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

3 entries
🥇

ALL-AMERICA

Named All-American (2025)

2 selectors honored him

🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE

All-Conf mention (2025)

All-Big 12

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

All-America

2 All-America selections

National selector recognition is one of the strongest non-Heisman signals on a player card and should sit near the top of the showcase.

All-Conference

1 all-conference honor

Conference-level recognition helps anchor whether a player is merely statistically loud or actually viewed as elite within his competitive lane.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
2025 All-Big 12 all_conference Cincinnati | Big 12 DT
2025 All-America (ESPN) all_america ESPN DL
2025 All-America (The Athletic) all_america The Athletic DL

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 UCF DL4 #8008 #8538 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Big 12
2023 UCF DL4 #9255 #9714 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Big 12
2022 UCF DL4 #11327 #11245 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | American Athletic
2021 Auburn DL4 #9564 #9372 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | SEC

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Texas Tech Big 12 DL 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 325 lb | Mobile, AL
2024 UCF Big 12 DL 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 325 lb | Mobile, AL
2023 UCF Big 12 DL 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 325 lb | Mobile, AL
2022 UCF American Athletic DL 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 325 lb | Mobile, AL
2021 Auburn SEC DL 4 No. 2 | 6-4 | 325 lb | Mobile, AL