Eagles Rookie Waiting For His Moment, Preparing Against Two Of NFL's Top Tackles

Philadelphia's third-round pick has heard the noise about the lack of pressure on the quarterback, and knows his time to get an opportunity will eventually arrive.

Eagles Jalyx Hunt / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – His time will eventually come. He knows that and is preparing for it.

Preparing means, in part, playing on the scout team and practicing against Eagles tackles Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, the sort of teachers Jalyx Hunt didn’t have at Houston Christian or Cornell.

“Thursday is my game day,” said Hunt. “I’m giving Jordan and Lane the craziest looks I can give so they can give me game reps in practice, so I’m even more prepared when my time comes.”

With the Eagles struggling to sack the quarterback, to even pressure the quarterback, maybe Hunt’s time will be Sunday in New Orleans when the Eagles meet the Saints at Caesars Superdome at 1 p.m. on FOX.

Already, first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell has made an impact, taking over as the starting cornerback in Week 1 and playing 100 percent of the snaps in Week 2.

The question now is: who’s the next rookie to step in and step up?

The odds probably favored Cooper DeJean, but he has been slow to win a role after his training camp hamstring issue cost him three weeks of learning and repping.

Maybe it will be Hunt, the third-round pick considered a developmental project when the Eagles selected him 94th overall.

Why not throw him into the mix on the edge, especially because all of the edge rushers from Josh Sweat to Bryce Huff to Nolan Smith are struggling. Maybe Hunt’s energy, which is boundless, can help.

He has heard the outside noise about the lack of pass rush and shouldn’t be viewed as a savior, but what would be the harm in throwing 10 defensive snaps or so his way in New Orleans? The only defensive lineman with a sack is Milton Williams.

Who knows, maybe he will step up the way Thomas Booker did at defensive tackle. Booker played nine snaps against the Falcons and made three tackles, showing hustle on every play.

“It’s everybody’s second game of the season,” said Hunt. “We’re learning to jell. I’m not worried about it at all. You see spurts of it in the moment, so once we get to the point where that’s the whole game, I think we’re going to be fine.

“They say sacks come in bunches so we’re due for a couple, and when it clicks, it’s gonna click. Whoever catches it, it’s going to be a rough day for the other offense.”

After being inactive in Week 1, Hunt made his NFL debut on special teams in Week 2, collecting 13 snaps (59 percent). Now, he is looking forward to more reps.

“Always, always,” he said. “My time’s gonna come, though.  One thing I would hate to do is to wish my time to come faster, then I’m not where I need to be. But my time will come and when I have the opportunity, I feel like I’m going to rise to the occasion.”

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