Danielle Hunter is one of the most underrated players on the Vikings roster
Brickwallblitz
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The Vikings defense is so loaded it can be easy to forget how good the lesser known guys are. Everyone knows guys like Everson Griffen, Anthony Barr, Linval Joseph, Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes, but there’s so much more talent outside of those pieces that goes under the radar.
One of those players is fourth-year defensive end Danielle Hunter. Hunter isn’t one of the more well-known names on Minnesota’s defense, but up front he’s one of the more valuable. He will be 24 in October, and his rookie contract will expire after the 2018 season, so eyes will be on general manager Rick Spielman to get a potential deal done with the defensive end.
Hunter has only started 17 games of the 46 he’s played in his three-year career (16 of which came in 2017), but he’s earned the second most sacks through his first three seasons in franchise history with 25.5.
(Thanks to @Topher_Doll for the help on this one.)
Putting up those numbers while starting relatively few games is sensational, and Hunter backs up those numbers with an impressive skill set.
Being on the same team and in the same position as Everson Griffen is quite an honor, as Griffen is one of the best defensive ends in football. His speed, footwork, toughness and elusiveness make him nearly impossible to guard, and he posted 13 sacks in a career year in 2017.
Hunter is not the same caliber of player, at least not yet, but that’s not a shot at him. Griffen is an otherworldly talent, and Hunter is really good in his own right, bringing a similar level of pressure heavy hunger to the front seven.
On this play, Hunter displays his athleticism. He squares off against the right tackle, using his patience to unleash his power at the right moment. Once he does this, he has an inside edge on the right tackle. He uses this edge to his advantage, as he makes a spin move and creates an incredible sack from an awkward angle.
Hunter’s (left of the screen) patience is further exemplified here. Like Le’Veon Bell, he uses his hesitance to hop away from the right guard. He also has an angle on the tight end #86 (Zach Miller, who makes a poor effort to tackle here), so it gives him easy access to the running back on the tackle.
Like most of the front seven, Hunter is just straight up powerful. This was arguably the best sack of his 2017 season. He wins the power struggle against the right tackle with ease, pushing into him before he can make a move on Hunter. Hunter uses that momentum to push the tackle close enough to Jared Goff, allowing him to leap and run the tackle into the quarterback for a phenomenal sack.
Hunter’s vision is the final touch on why he’s so beloved in Minnesota. This play action fake from the Bengals is well blocked if you exclude Hunter being left all alone. He’s not fooled by the play action and sees it’s a pass play from the get-go. His patience at the beginning allows him to get by the tight end (#89) and he uses his speed to take down Andy Dalton for the sack.
Danielle Hunter, combined with Everson Griffen, makes for one of the deadliest defensive end combinations in football. His skill set isn’t the most spectacular, but it doesn’t matter because of how consistent he is. If you bring the level of consistency Hunter does and combine it with a huge amount of power, you’re immediately valuable to your defense.
Griffen still has a few great years left in him, but it’s crucial that the Vikings lock Hunter after 2018, otherwise he’ll be a hot target in free agency in 2019. They need a player of his level longterm to continue being one of the league’s best defenses.