Multiple schools still in pursuit of Auburn commit Lee Hunter
Lee Hunter woke up Sunday morning in Blount, Ala. with a lot of unread messages. It was Easter Sunday, and the No. 5-ranked defensive tackle in the country was feeling the love.
"I woke up to 104 text messages Sunday morning," said Hunter. "A lot of different schools sent me messages. A lot of different coaches from the same school sent messages.
"I heard from Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, Alabama and some others. It was crazy. The messages were sent before I even woke up wishing me a Happy Easter."
That type of attention is noting new for the four-star at Blount High. He is a top recruit in the 2021 class and with schools closed for the year, Hunter is talking to multiple schools daily.
"It has been a little crazy. It was crazy with the text messages on Sunday and I am talking to a lot of schools a lot right now. I committed to Auburn a while ago now, but no schools that were recruiting me hard then have really stopped or slowed down.
"I am still talking to a lot of different coaches and I am going to take more visits."
Alabama has had Hunter in Tuscaloosa twice, and the Crimson Tide are not going away. Head coach Nick Saban is a big part of that.
"I just FaceTimed with coach Saban the other day and he is a great coach. He talks to me a lot, he has won a lot and he coaching at Alabama is one of the reasons I am still looking at that.
"Overall, Alabama is just Alabama. It is a great school with great coaches, and I know if I go there and do well, then I will be drafted in the first round."
Alabama is an in-state school that Hunter has been familiar with, but there is another school in another conference outside the home state that is about the same distance. He made that journey to Tallahassee early in March and the Seminoles made a strong impression.
"I really like coach Mike Norvell a lot. I spent a lot of time with him on the visit and I think he is a very genuine coach. He didn't say words to me just to say them — he meant them — and that means a lot to me. Being real with me is one of the most important things for me, so that really made Florida State stand out.
"I have been there twice now and I will definitely be going back. My last visit down there surprised me and blew me away. They will get an official visit from me for sure. I have been talking to coach Norvell and some of the other coaches on their staff almost every day."
The head coaches at Alabama and Florida State aren't the one ones involved. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has been in regular contact with Hunter as well.
"Georgia is really on me hard right now," said Hunter. I have been talking to coach Smart a lot lately, I have been talking to coach Scott every two days, I have been talking to coach Cochran lately, and they are recruiting me hard.
"I have only visited Georgia once and it is a school I am definitely going back to. I like how Georgia plays, I like the coaches there and I like how they are recruiting me."
Alabama, Florida State and Georgia are three schools Hunter named when asked about who he's looking at outside of Auburn, and there will be more. He plans to take his five official visits, and he said he is listening to all schools still, but Auburn is going to be very tough to beat in the end.
"I am looking around, but I still feel very good about Auburn and I am still committed," said Hunter. "Nothing has changed. I still feel the same way about Auburn and I love how they treat me.
"I have visited Auburn 12 times and I like the coaches, the fans and how it feels like home. I am always talking to coach Gus Malzahn, coach Garner and almost the whole staff. I have great relationships with the coaches there and I still feel the same about Auburn as I did when I committed."