From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on SMU defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte.
#81 Jared Harrison-Hunte/DT SMU – 6033, 290 pounds (Senior)
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jared Harrison-Hunte | 6033/290 | 9 1/8 | 33 | 79 3/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.86 | 1.69 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’3″ | 32 | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Explosive out of his stance and has a fast get-off
– Well-built frame with not a lot of excess body weight
– Plays with violent and active hands
– Arm-over and push-pull moves are really effective for him
– Bull-rush looks good when he commits to it right away
– Adequate length and size for a 3-5 tech defensive lineman
– Displays nice hand counters when first move fails
– Footwork is fluid, and he tends to glide past guys
– Good ankle flexion to bend the short corner on outside shoulder
– Knows when to change pass rush tempo to keep tackles honest
– Contact balance that allows him to not end up on the ground often
– Special teams value as a field goal blocker
THE BAD
– Subpar pad level that makes him play high too often
– Can get collapsed by double teams and down blocks
– Not physical enough at the point of attack as a run defender
– Block recognition is late on running plays
– Has instances where he’s slow to react and doesn’t put himself in a good position to stay in his gap
– Will lose gap control when he gets too involved with the offensive lineman
– Lacks hip flexibility, affecting change of direction efficiency
– Occasionally loses backside discipline, over-committing inside of gaps
– While his timed speed is excellent, it doesn’t always show on the field
– Had one year of elite production as a pass rusher
BIO
– 1,995 total snaps (1,310 B gap, 215 A gap, 401 over tackle, 65 edge rusher)
– 172 special teams snaps (129 field goal block, 43 punt return)
– Appeared in 56 games with 36 starts over 5 seasons at Miami and 1 at SMU
– No injury history
– Career: 120 total tackles (61 solo, 59 assisted), 113 pressures, 30 TFLs, 26 missed tackles, 15.5 sacks, 85 run stops, zero batted passes, 1 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
– 2024-25 season: 42 tackles (18 solo, 24 assisted), 43 pressures, 9 TFLs, 6 missed tackles, 6.5 sacks, 16 run stops, zero batted passes, zero forced fumbles, zero fumble recoveries, 1 INT
– Born in Middle Village, NY
– Played at Christ The King Regional HS in Queens, NY
– 2025 participated and played in the East-West Shrine Bowl event
– 2024 First-Team All-ACC
– 2024, he transferred to SMU from Miami (FL) where he appeared and started in all 14 games
– 2019-2023, played for Miami (FL) University, where he played and started for 5 seasons
– Three-star defensive tackle prospect out of HS, according to 247Sports
– Served as team captain for final year
– As a tight end, he had 23 receptions for 277 yards during his junior season
– Played just two seasons of high school football
– Also played basketball and won a state championship
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Jared Harrison-Hunte is a player who has flown under the radar for the SMU defense, but he has been one of the most consistent and productive players for the unit this season. He had modest production and experience at Miami (FL) the past several seasons but broke out this year. A versatile player, he has played up and down the line of scrimmage for the Mustangs, playing multiple positions over the years from 0-1i to being a stand-up edge rusher.
Harrison-Hunte is an excellent athlete with good overall movement skills. He is of good length and has a strong upper body, although his lower body could use some additional mass. He is a penetrating defensive lineman who is best when rushing the passer. His hands are always active, and if he doesn’t win initially, he keeps working to get around guys with swim moves, club rips, and push-pull moves.
Harrison-Hunte is #81 in all of these clips for SMU and Miami (FL):
He flashes very good initial quickness off the ball and can win edges with his first step. The best thing about Harrison-Hunte is his ability to win with his hands and the variety of rush moves he has in his toolbox. He has excellent body control and can bend and flatten to the quarterback when given a gap. He is a slippery rusher who can uncover when working upfield and has lateral agility to make offensive linemen miss with their hands.
In the run game, Harrison-Hunte is more finesse than physical. He is most effective when he can swim over linemen or shoot gaps to the backfield rather than putting his hat on a hat and trying to win with power at the point of attack. He flashes good range with good foot quickness when pursuing the ball carrier.
His main concerns are his ability to hold up in the running game and his lack of a true home at the next level. He lacks the power to set the edge consistently and too easily gets driven back versus double teams. Harrison-Hunte could really use some more lower body mass and power to be able to hold his ground more consistently against interior linemen. It was also evident when he played the best teams he faced this year that above-average offensive linemen stalled him out and pushed him out of gaps because of a lack of size and power. Harrison-Hunte does play with good effort and pursuit and can anchor in a one-on-one situation. Getting off of blocks will be a challenge for him at the next level if he can’t consistently get his pad level down to use his leg drive. Here, he does a nice job of staying low out of his stance and driving the lineman back enough to shed.
CONCLUSION
Harrison-Hunte has a high floor as an alignment-versatile run defender and explosive pressure generator on passing downs, especially in odd and hybrid front schemes. He can be a valuable rotational piece in the NFL, and he has quality starter potential down the road. He might be best served as a strong-side 5-tech defensive end on early downs and in obvious run situations, then shift inside to 3-tech and 4i in passing scenarios.
His best role will be inside, playing in a single-gap defense where he is asked to get upfield. I love his ability as an interior pass rusher with his blend of length, quickness, and body control, but I have questions about how he translates to the NFL with his run-defense ability. I have a hard time seeing the Steelers being overly interested in him because they have a similar player on their team already (DeMarvin Leal), and he doesn’t possess the requisite ability to hold up against the run as much as they value it consistently enough.
He reminds me a lot of Matthew Butler of the Las Vegas Raiders. Guys that are fast and explosive but don’t have a lot of agility or power to win consistently as three-down players. However, they give you pass-rush depth in a defensive line room that can be valuable.
Projection: Early-Mid Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 6.9 – Fifth Round (Backup/Special Teamer)
Games Watched: at Penn State (2024), vs Clemson (2024), at Florida State (2023), vs Rutgers (2023)
