Eagles' DC Pumps The Brakes on Early Hype

Second-year edge rusher Jalyx Hunt is drawing rave reviews from his teammates but Vic Fangio is being more cautious.

Eagles DC Vic Fangio speaks to reporters prior to practice on July 24, 2025. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

PHILADELPHIA – At this rate, Jalyx Hunt is going to be the runaway winner for most popular in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 training camp yearbook.

A day after second-team All-Pro left tackle Jordan Mailata compared the second-year edge rusher’s burst to Micah Parsons, the Eagles’ presumed top pass rusher, Nolan Smith, called his running mate the “best thing since sliced bread.” 

"That boy’s going to be the best thing since sliced bread," Smith said after the Eagles’ second camp practice. "For real. That boy’s good. I just tell him to keep his head down and keep working."

That came on the heels of Mailata’s gushing praise.

"Oh, man. He's gonna be special," Mailata said of Hunt after Wednesday’s session. "Just his burst. He has tendencies like [Cowbpys superstar] Micah (Parsons), just to be able to cut on a dime like that. 

“I'm so proud of that guy, the way he works.”

Hunt has flashed early in camp while getting the majority of the first-team reps at right end with a "sack" of Jalen Hurts on Day 1, and a good rush Thursday that flushed the QB1 out of the pocket, derailing a rep. 

He’s penciled in to replace Josh Sweat, a 2021 Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl LIX hero, who signed with Arizona in free agency. 

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio did try to throw some water on the grandiose compliments, probably to help temper outlandish expectations.

Asked about Mailata’s praise of Hunt, and A.J. Brown’s haughty words for Drew Mukuba, Fangio deadpanned:

“Yeah, both of them overdid it. Come on,” Fangio smiled before asking if we laughed.

I copped to a chuckle, and Fangio indicated a belly laugh would have been more appropriate.

For the sake of accuracy, Brown was actually lauding Cooper DeJean on Wednesday, calling the second-year defensive back “All-Pro Coop,” and Fangio didn’t shake that label off as easily.

As for Hunt, Fangio does see tremendous upside.

“Jalyx to me, the last third of the season into the playoffs played a lot for us and played good and we have high expectations,” said Fangio. “... Anything beyond that right now to say would be reckless.”  

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