Freshman Hunter leaving Auburn to join Knights
Auburn freshman Lee Hunter is reuniting with Gus Malzahn in Orlando and transferring to UCF, he announced on social media Thursday.
The defensive tackle was Auburn’s second-highest prospect to enroll last year and was rated as the No. 81 overall player nationally in the 2021 signing class, according to 247Sports.
Hunter entered the portal this past Sunday after not appearing as a freshman. The Mobile, Alabama, native already has enrolled at UCF and will participate in spring football, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Orlando Sentinel.
Hunter had long been committed to the Tigers, verbally pledging to Malzahn in December 2019 before signing over a year later. Prior to the Early Signing Period in 2020, Malzahn was fired, but Hunter still signed early with the program that hired Bryan Harsin as head coach.
Malzahn worked at Auburn from 2013-20 before being hired at UCF last February. This season, the Knights finished 9-4 under Malzahn and signed one of the highest-rated recruiting classes in program history, according to 247Sports.
Following December’s Early Signing Period, Malzahn said the Knights would likely add up to 10 more players, leaning on the transfer portal for experience and future talent. Since then, UCF has done just that.
Hunter is the second former Auburn player to transfer to UCF, joining wide receiver Kobe Hudson, who led the Tigers in multiple receiving categories last season that included yards and catches.
Hunter is the eighth addition from the transfer portal which includes Florida tight end Kemore Gamble, Virginia offensive lineman Ryan Swoboda, Maryland linebacker Terrence Lewis, Kentucky linebacker K.D. McDaniel, Austin Peay defensive back Koby Perry, Jacksonville State offensive tackle Tylan Grable and Hudson.
With Hunter in the mix, the Knights added a key piece at defensive tackle. UCF recently lost defensive tackle Kalia Davis to the NFL Draft, but returning are Anthony Montalvo for a sixth season, last year’s key portal addition Ricky Baber and rising redshirt senior Cam Goode. All started multiple games.
While he didn’t see the field in his one year at Auburn, Hunter showed plenty of potential. The 4-star prospect recorded 54 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks as a senior at Blount High School. He also scored a rushing and receiving touchdown, catching 9 passes for 149 yards.
As a junior, he totaled 77 tackles and 23 tackles for loss to earn first-team AHSAA Class 6A all-state honors. That year he was an Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game selection.
Among all high school defensive tackles nationally, Hunter was rated as the 12th highest in the 2021 class, according to 247Sports.