Jordan Mailata Praises Jalyx Hunt, Compares Him to Micah Parsons

After finding success at cornerback last season, the Philadelphia Eagles are embracing a youth movement at another spot on defense in 2025. Following the departure of Josh Sweat in free agency and Brandon Graham’s retirement, Philadelphia will rely heavily on Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt moving forward.

Both players exceeded expectations during Philadelphia’s road to victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. While Smith is a former first-round pick from a college football powerhouse, Hunt is considered quite the opposite.

After the Eagles selected a safety-turned-edge rusher from Houston Christian in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, many Eagles fans were scrambling to figure out who Hunt even was. Yet he has quickly asserted himself in Philadelphia and earned the respect of Eagles fans, his teammates and their opponents.

While Hunt was able to turn heads with his surprising level of play as a rookie, the bar is set considerably higher in 2025. After rotating in on the edge off the bench last season, Hunt is projected to start this upcoming season. Despite facing tougher competition in practice, Hunt is already making a statement.

During the first practice of training camp, Hunt was able to record a “sack” against Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia’s first-team offense, according to multiple reports. Hunt will primarily work against Eagles All-Pro left tackle Jordan Mailata during team drills and he was quick to praise the second-year edge rusher following Wednesday’s practice.

“He's going to be special, man,” Mailata said when asked about Hunt. “His burst. He has tendencies like Micah (Parsons). Just to be able to cut on a dime like that.”

Mailata surely knows Dallas Cowboys All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons well, as they’ve been battling on the gridiron for years. Therefore, it’s certainly notable to hear Mailata compare Hunt to one of the best defensive players in the NFL.

Considering that Hunt has only been playing edge rusher for four years, it’s quite scary to think about his potential ceiling. Mailata also joked about the difficulties of lining up against Hunt, especially after having to deal with blocking Sweat in previous years.

“How did I go from Josh Sweat to Jalyx?” Mailata joked. “It's crazy. I'm like, 'Howie, give me a break for one year, Jesus!' Jalyx is going to be a star, man."

While Mailata might not enjoy blocking Hunt in practice, it’s certainly a promising sign for Philadelphia’s defense. Hunt had plenty of success in the postseason for the Eagles, as he posted the highest pressure rate (13.0%) among Philadelphia’s edge rushers, according to Pro Football Focus.

Now it’s clear that Hunt is looking to build on his success heading into year two. If the Eagles are going to reach the Super Bowl once again, they’re betting on Smith and Hunt to lead the way on the edge. Following the first practice of training camp, it seems like their bet is paying off.