NFL Draft Profile: Jeffrey Gunter, Defensive End, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

NFL draft profile scouting report for Coastal Carolina defensive end, Jeffrey Gunter

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#94
Pos: DE
Ht: 6043
Wt: 258
Hand: 0928
Arm: 3300
Wing: 8018
40: 4.70
3-Cone: 7.21
Shuttle: 4.35
Vertical: 35.5
Broad Jump: 1002
DOB: 5/31/99
Eligible: 2022
Durham, NC
Riverside High School

Jeffrey Gunter
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

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Pros:

Edge defender with average size and above average length who lines up in a two and four point stance. Gunter possesses above average ankle flexion, giving him the necessary agility to change directions and turn corners. As a pass rusher, he is best with a quick inside counter, taking advantage of oversetting tackles. Good strength in the run game, allows him to take on blocks and set the edge by extending his inside arm. He is not washed out of gaps and anchors to prevent displacement. Gunter shows urgent hands when slanting off the snap. He gets the job done dropping into shallow zones and is a solid tackler when left unblocked. 

Cons:

Lacking explosiveness off the ball, Gunter only shows average burst, preventing him from threatening with speed. He is unable to create knockback when converting speed to power, often getting stood up and offers little as a power rusher. Popping up quickly, he does not win the leverage battle and is too upright to dip and bend around the outside of tackles. Gunter does not possess counter moves and plays with indecisive hands and a lack of attention to detail with his hand placement, allowing blockers to attack his frame. In the run game, he is equally unable to shed later in plays due to slow hands. When engaged with a blocker, he can not shed quickly to win a gap and make a play on ball carriers. His motor runs hot and cold showing below average competitiveness and he is slow processing and recognizing plays. 

Summary:

Average sized edge defender with below average explosiveness and power. Gunter sets a strong edge, using his length and is best on an inside move. He plays high and has slow, indecisive hands, preventing him from beating blockers. Gunter projects as a depth defensive end who is best with his hand in the dirt. Processing faster could allow him to play an early down role as a run defender. 

Background: 

Born May 31st, 1999 in Durham, North Carolina, Jeffrey Gunter was an outstanding football player at Riverside High School. In his junior year with the program, he recorded 28 tackles and six tackles for loss on his way to All-PAC 6 team honors at outside linebacker. The next season, Gunter made 55 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 8.6 sacks. He was named All-PAC 6 and Durham Herald-Sun All-Area as a senior. After his high school career, Gunter received a two-star rating from 247Sports Composite Rankings. The same outlet named him the 3843rd recruit nationally, the 178th-best strong-side defensive end in his class and the 105th-overall player from North Carolina in his year. Gunter enrolled early at Coastal Carolina in January of 2017 and was able to participate in spring practices. This translated to an immediate impact, as the freshman played in all 12 games of his debut campaign. Playing both on defense and kickoff coverage, the North Carolina native made 26 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. He was named to the Dean’s List in the spring of 2017, indicating his grade point average was above 3.25. The next year, Gunter broke out. A member of the Team Leadership Council in 2018, the athletic pass-rusher started all 12 of the Chanticleers’ games. His 14 tackles for loss led the team, were fourth in the Sun Belt and were second-most in Coastal Carolina history. He also posted 49 tackles, five sacks, five quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and one blocked kick. An academic standout, Gunter was named to the Dean’s List (meaning his grade point of average was at or above 3.5) in the fall of 2018. Similarly, he made the 2018-2019 Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll. Further, Gunter was named to the All-Sun Belt First Team and received the Coastal Carolina Defensive Player of the Year Award. He was a top-20 finalist for the Blanchard-Rogers Award, South Carolina’s version of the Heisman Trophy awarded by the South Carolina Football Hall of Fame. Gunter’s college career was interrupted by his decision to transfer to NC State in 2019. He sat out that season because of NCAA transfer rules. The talented defender exercised his redshirt to avoid losing a year of eligibility. That said, Gunter transferred back to Coastal Carolina before the 2020 season. Before the year kicked off, he was named to the Phil Steele Preseason Sun Belt Conference All-Conference Third Team. In his return to the Chanticleers, Gunter recorded 58 tackles, one interception, one pass breakup, 12 quarterback hurries, 12.5 tackles for loss (second on the team and seventh in the Sun Belt) and tied for second on the team and fourth in the Sun Belt with 6.5 sacks. He was named to the 2020 All-Sun Belt First Team and the 2020 Phil Steele Sun Belt All-Conference First Team. Entering 2021, Gunter was seen as one of the Sun Belt’s top players. He was placed on the Pro Football Focus College Football Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team, the 2021 Phil Steele preseason Sun Belt Conference All-Conference First Team, the 2021 Athlon Sports Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team and the conference’s own All-Sun Belt First-team. Gunter graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics in December of 2020; he is currently working towards a second degree in communication. 

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One-Liners

 Average sized edge defender with below average explosiveness and power. Depth piece early who can contribute in a rotation with improved processing. 

Grades

Current Player Value/Potential Player Value

6.1/7.0

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