“Welcome to Philly, we are excited to get you,” general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles Howie Roseman said over the phone.
Surrounded by friends, family and his supporters, Jalyx Hunt ’23 put on an Eagles cap and smiled — he had secured a spot in the National Football League.
289 days later, Hunt celebrated as he took down NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl — and later got to hoist the Lombardi trophy with his teammates.
Meet now linebacker Jalyx Hunt, a former member of the Cornell football team now turned Super Bowl Champion.
Cornell College Career and The Decision to Transfer
Hunt’s collegiate football career started for him at Cornell following his time at University High School in Florida. He originally played wide receiver and led the county in yards per catch as a senior. While he was successful on his high school team, Hunt said that he was not “heavily recruited” and committed to Cornell because they offered him “an opportunity to play Division I football and to be exposed to a high level of academics” one that he believed would help him with his success in the long-run.
“My mom is a teacher, so I grew up in a family that really valued academic success and I was excited to be a part of the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management,” Hunt said. “It was the perfect blend of athletic and academic opportunity for me at that stage of my life.”
When Hunt started practicing for Cornell, his position changed from offensive to defensive — during his freshman year, he primarily played for special teams and recorded two tackles in his first seven games as a member of the squad. In August 2020, Hunt met Rachel Booth ’22, a former member of the Big Red Sports Network who he promised would “be a part of his team” one day when he made a professional career for himself. Booth now works for Hunt as his marketing agent.
While his sophomore season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his junior year saw him transition to a defensive position completely as he played 10 games as a safety and recorded 26 total tackles. Hunt pointed out how “instrumental” the two full seasons of football were at Cornell to his development as a player.
“Coach [Jared] Backus and Coach [Will] Blanden taught me a lot about showing up and being a leader,” Hunt said. “The Ivy League's emphasis on academics and athletics taught me really important lessons in discipline and time management.”
Following the end of his junior season, Hunt decided to transfer to Houston Christian University as he said he was looking for “a new environment” that would prepare him for a career in the NFL.
Hunt was in for one more position change at HCU as he went from playing safety to lining up closer to the line of scrimmage as a defensive end and linebacker. He said that the coaching staff at HCU were “crucial in recognizing” his potential as an edge rusher and facilitated his position transition.
“Their guidance was pivotal in my growth and eventual path to the NFL,” Hunt said. “Transferring from Cornell to Houston Christian was a really big decision for me. … The transition was challenging and to a lot of people looked like a gamble, but it was ultimately really rewarding to take the skills I learned at Cornell to a new environment.”
Hunt would start in all 11 games in his first season for the Huskies and recorded 46 total tackles and 6.5 sacks for 43 yards lost between them. He led the Southland Conference with his 11.5 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles.
Pro Start in Philadelphia
At the end of his third full collegiate season, Hunt made the decision to declare for the NFL draft. On April 29, 2024, Hunt got a call from Roseman that changed his life — the Eagles had decided to give him a chance to make his NFL dream come true.
Hunt was selected 94th overall in the NFL draft. He celebrated with his friends and family (Photo courtesy of Rachel Booth).
“[Getting drafted was] just surreal,” Hunt said. “A dream come true. When you think of all the hard work, the sacrifices and perseverance not just from me but my family as well, to see it pay off in that moment is wild. I had always believed in my ability to make it to the next level, but to live out a childhood dream is such a blessing.”
But making it to the league was just the beginning, Hunt trained hard during the rookie camps in the fall to secure his spot on the 53-man active roster — and in his rookie campaign for the Eagles, Hunt excelled as he played in 16 out of 17 NFL regular season games, recording 21 total tackles, 12 of which were solo. In the postseason, he put up 10 total tackles.
“The NFL is a different game. The speed, complexity and physicality are on another level. However, my experiences at both Cornell and Houston Christian definitely prepared me well. Even though I was still raw when it came to skill and experience at a new position, I had the discipline, adaptability and work ethic that I developed in college that ultimately helped me adjust to the professional level.”
But, the crowning jewel of football experience happened on Sunday, February 9 where Hunt took on the biggest stage in football and faced off against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Playing in the Super Bowl was an incredible experience,” Hunt said. The environment and atmosphere is definitely unique and something I’ll never forget.”
During this game, the Eagles defense shut down the Chiefs offense and its quarterback Patrick Mahomes, allowing them to score no points to the Eagles 24 in the first half. The Eagles defense recorded six sacks against Mahomes — the most he has ever been handed in a single game in his eight-year career in the National Football League — and forced three turnovers.
During the second quarter, Hunt made a play where he brought down Mahomes and forced a third and long situation for the Chiefs offense. With this play, Hunt became the first ever Cornell alumnus to record a sack in Super Bowl history. Hunt is also the first Cornell defensive player to win the NFL Championship.
“That sack really begins weeks in advance with hours of film and practice to prepare for exactly that play, and others like it,” Hunt said. I’ve been really fortunate to learn from some great players and staff with the Eagles, and they played a big role in setting me up to succeed, so in a moment like that, all that’s left is to execute.”
Now, his focus is on training for the 2025-2026 NFL season and working on his community initiatives which he is “very passionate about” with his media agent Booth.
These initiatives include supporting Philadelphia schools like the Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls women’s basketball team and visiting the University High School in Orlando, which he is an alumnus of.
“I just want to continue to build at my position, one step at a time. I also have really enjoyed getting to know the Philly community and plan to continue to give back and have a positive impact both on and off the field.”
Zeinab Faraj is the assistant sports editor on the 143rd editorial board and a member of the class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. You can reach her at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
