Eagles Storylines to Watch: Jalyx Hunt

PHILADELPHIA — Once upon a time, Jalyx Hunt was a safety at Cornell playing Ivy League football. Today, he may be the most fascinating player on the entire Philadelphia Eagles roster — and the biggest storyline heading into the 2026 season.

As a rookie, Hunt was supposed to be a developmental project. By the end of 2024, he was in the Super Bowl, part of an onslaught against Patrick Mahomes in a title rout. Last year, the leap was even more staggering.

A Record-Breaker in Year 2

After being part of just 23 percent of the defensive snaps in his rookie year, Hunt became a crucial player in Philadelphia's front seven in 2025 — becoming the first player in franchise history to lead the Eagles in both sacks (6.5) and interceptions (3). He also finished the regular season with 52 tackles, 57 pressures, 24 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles.

He led the Eagles' edge rushers with a pressure rate of 17.3% — numbers that made the league take notice of a player that, just two years earlier, had barely played the position at the collegiate level.

Year 3: The Pressure Is On

Now comes the hard part. The Eagles went out and added veteran edge rusher Jonathan Greenard this offseason to be the headliner of their pass rush — but Greenard remains sidelined with a pectoral strain that landed him on the physically unable to perform list. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio recently said Greenard would not return before the end of camp and would be on a pitch count early in the season.

That puts Hunt squarely in the spotlight. Hunt has taken first-team reps at training camp alongside Nolan Smith Jr., and Fangio was crystal clear when asked if Hunt could make an even bigger jump in 2026: "Yeah, I am looking for that. He's very capable of it."

Hunt himself hasn't shied away from the moment. "Exponentially," he said when asked about his growing confidence. "That's been the word around the building, low key."

Camp Has Been Electric

On Day 1 of training camp, Hunt turned heads immediately — beating All-Pro tackle Jordan Mailata to the outside for a "sack," then jumping back inside on the very next rep for another. He also recorded a tackle for loss against running back Tank Bigsby and consistently set the edge well against the run.

The performance drew praise league-wide. Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski called Hunt the NFL's "Best Kept Secret" heading into the 2026 season, noting that among Philadelphia's loaded defensive front, Hunt led the team in both sacks and total pressures. Greenard himself has marveled at what he's seen from his new teammate. "He's an athlete and how young he is and where his game could really go is crazy," Greenard said.

The Bigger Picture

With Greenard out and Nolan Smith needing to bounce back, the pressure falls squarely on Hunt's shoulders to take the next step as a pass rusher — and some analysts believe he needs to become a double-digit sack player to fill the void.

The Eagles open the regular season against Washington and face two of last year's top offenses — the Rams and Bears — in the first month of the season. It's a brutal early schedule that will test Hunt's development quickly.

But if his trajectory holds — safety to third-round pick to Super Bowl contributor to franchise sack leader in just three years — there may be no ceiling in sight.

Hunt summed it up with characteristic calm when asked about a leadership role: "I kind of move around. They say good leaders follow as well, so I guess I'll be in a leadership role if I need to."

That kind of quiet confidence, backed up by production, is exactly why Jalyx Hunt is the Eagles storyline to watch in 2026.