Minnesota Vikings: DE Danielle Hunter
In the 2019 regular season, only Green Bay’s Za’Darius Smith had more total pressures than Vikings end Danielle Hunter’s 88 per Pro Football Focus, but it seems that Hunter’s name is rarely dropped when it’s time to discuss the league’s best pass-rushers. The 6-foot-5, 252-pound LSU alum was also overlooked in the 2015 draft — considered more an athlete than a pure football player, Hunter lasted until the 88th overall pick in the third round. 16 defensive ends and outside linebackers were selected ahead of Hunter in that draft, and only Kansas City’s Frank Clark (43.0) has come close to Hunter’s 54.5 career sacks.
Hunter also put up 1.5 sacks in Minnesota’s 26-20 wild-card win, including this sack of Drew Brees and forced fumble which greatly impacted the Saints’ chances of winning. Watch Hunter beat Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk — one of the best at his position in the NFL — with an inside move after aligning wide and forcing Ramczyk into his arc, and you’ve seen just one part of Hunter’s expansive and effective skill set.
Over the last four seasons (he started just one game and just 420 total snaps in his rookie season), Hunter has totaled 55, 68, 67, and 92 (including playoffs) total pressures, making him far more consistent than his detractors thought he would be. And with 175 career stops and 38 stops in 2019 alone, he’s a better run defender than most imagine when it’s time to do that. He’ll be a thorn in the side of San Francisco’s offensive line from the 49ers’ first offensive series on Saturday afternoon.
Previous Vikings secret superstar: Safety Anthony Harris
Danielle Hunter | Dee Ford | Harold Landry III | Matthew Judon |
Duke Johnson, Jr. | Charvarius Ward | Poona Ford | Kenny Clark