Jaden Hunter (right) with Westlake coach Bryan Love (Michael Carvell/AJC)
Alabama dropped from No. 1 to fifth for one of state’s top prospects who is a UGA legacy,
Jaden Hunter, a 4-star linebacker from Westlake High School, explained to the AJC why Alabama dropped so far. Jaden is the son of former UGA star Brice Hunter.
“I got the feeling that they are recruiting so many highly rated guys and I think I wouldn’t see the field as much as I would want,” Hunter said. “It’s not that I am scared of competition or anything. There are already guys there that have waited a long time to get their chance. I’m going to work hard no matter where I go.”
The 6-foot-3, 207-pounder now has Florida State and LSU as his co-leaders, followed by UGA at No. 3. Hunter's older brother, Tyler Hunter, played for FSU. Jaden says both his leaders make him feel at home.
Jaden Hunter is a rising junior and a four-star prospect at LB. (Michael Carvell / AJC)
“When I took a visit to LSU, I got the feeling that this is home,” Hunter said. “Sometimes I don’t have that feeling when I visit some schools right off the jump. I felt the love from the coaches and I felt an immediate bond with all of them. It was the same way at Florida State knowing that my brother played there. It was basically like I knew the whole staff.”
What about UGA? There are some family connections. Jaden’s father, Brice, who died in 2004, was a record-breaking receiver at UGA from 1992-95. He was a two-time All-SEC selection and his 73 catches he had in 1993 are still the school record.
Even though his dad is a Bulldogs legend, the 2017 recruit says UGA hasn’t recruited him as hard as he would like.
“They have been in contact with me, but not as much as other schools,” Jaden said.”That may change when the coaches can contact me on September 1st.”
“I see them talking to other kids in my class that both parents didn’t go to Georgia, and I’m like ‘wow, you guys can have me way earlier in my recruitment,’I still think highly of Georgia, but it just makes me think differently about them.”
Hunter says he may visit UGA next month, but isn’t 100 percent sure at this time.
He’s rated as the state’s No. 16 overall prospect for next year.
Need to know more about Hunter? The AJC profiled the son of the late Brice Hunter in a series of stories earlier this month:
— UGA legacy has impressive tribute to his late father
— Former UGA great wants Jaden Hunter to know about his late father
— Could the three sons of a UGA legacy play for the Bulldogs?
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