# Erick Hunter
**Erick Hunter** (born 2003) is an [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) linebacker for the [New England Patriots](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-england-patriots) of the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league) (NFL). A Morgan State University product who went undrafted in 2026, he signed with the Detroit Lions as a rookie free agent, was released at the end of training camp, and earned a spot on the Patriots' 53-man roster on September 1, 2026.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntEr00.htm) • [2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) • [3](https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-c-ben-brown-and-lb-erick-hunter-to-the-53-man-roster-announce-additional-practice-squad-moves)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position, team | Linebacker, No. 49, New England Patriots; rookie experience[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/erick-hunter/) |
| Born | 2003, Capitol Heights, Maryland; high school Westlake (MD)[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntEr00.htm) |
| Size | 6-foot-2, 225 pounds (Patriots listing); 224 pounds per Pro-Football-Reference[2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntEr00.htm) |
| College career | 298 total tackles in 45 games, second in Morgan State history[2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) |
| 2025 season | Started all 12 games, led the MEAC with 102 tackles (53 solo), 14 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 interception[5](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/9/1/football-morgan-states-erick-hunter-earns-spot-on-new-england-patriots-53-man-roster.aspx) |
| Pro path | Signed by Detroit as an undrafted free agent May 12, 2026; released Aug. 30, 2026; signed to New England's 53-man roster Sept. 1, 2026[2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) • [3](https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-c-ben-brown-and-lb-erick-hunter-to-the-53-man-roster-announce-additional-practice-squad-moves) |
| 2026 NFL season | 4 games, 0 starts, 8 combined tackles (4 solo, 4 assists), 1 tackle for loss[2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntEr00.htm) |
## College career at Morgan State
Hunter played at [Morgan State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/morgan-state-university) in Baltimore from 2021 through 2025, wearing number 40 and growing from a 190-pound freshman into a 220-pound redshirt senior.[6](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285) As a sophomore in 2022 he played in all 11 games and recorded 77 tackles (52 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.[6](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285) In 2023 he led the MEAC with 75 tackles during the regular season, added 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles, and earned All-MEAC First Team honors along with selection as a Buck Buchanan Award finalist.[6](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285)
**Injury-shortened 2024.** Hunter spent most of the 2024 season sidelined by injury and appeared only in the final game against Howard, making 7 tackles and a sack; he nonetheless entered 2025 on watch lists including the Stats Perform Buck Buchanan Award and was named to the MEAC All-Academic Team.[6](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285) • [7](https://hbcuprosportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/XXXII-2.pdf)
**Dominant 2025 season.** As a redshirt senior, Hunter started all 12 games and led the conference with 102 total tackles, including 53 solo stops, with 14 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries, 4 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. Against Norfolk State he returned a blocked kick 90 yards for a touchdown.[5](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/9/1/football-morgan-states-erick-hunter-earns-spot-on-new-england-patriots-53-man-roster.aspx) His honors for the season included All-MEAC First Team, Stats Perform FCS Second-Team All-America, Phil Steele FCS Third-Team All-America, FCS Football Central All-American, BOXTOROW HBCU All-America recognition, and selection as a Buck Buchanan Award finalist; he was invited to The American Bowl, college football's inaugural all-star game, and to the HBCU Legacy Bowl.[5](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/9/1/football-morgan-states-erick-hunter-earns-spot-on-new-england-patriots-53-man-roster.aspx) • [6](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285) He finished his Morgan State career with 298 total tackles in 45 games, second in program history, and was named the 2025-26 MEAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year.[2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) • [5](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/9/1/football-morgan-states-erick-hunter-earns-spot-on-new-england-patriots-53-man-roster.aspx)
## Professional career
After going unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Hunter signed with the [Detroit Lions](https://www.edgepedia.org/detroit-lions) as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2026, becoming the second Morgan State player in as many seasons to reach the NFL, after [Elijah Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/elijah-williams-defensive-lineman) signed with the [Minnesota Vikings](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-vikings) in 2025.[2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) • [8](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/4/26/football-erick-hunter-signs-as-undrafted-free-agent-with-detroit-lions.aspx) Detroit released him on August 30, 2026 at the end of training camp.[2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/)
**New England Patriots.** The Patriots signed Hunter to their 53-man roster on September 1, 2026, alongside center Ben Brown.[3](https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-c-ben-brown-and-lb-erick-hunter-to-the-53-man-roster-announce-additional-practice-squad-moves) He wears number 49 in New England.[4](https://www.nfl.com/players/erick-hunter/) Through his first four regular-season games in 2026 he played 7 defensive snaps and 60 special teams snaps (58 percent of the team's special teams plays), recording 8 combined tackles with 1 tackle for loss and no starts.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntEr00.htm) • [2](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/) [Pro Football Focus](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-focus) credited him with an 88.0 overall defensive grade and a 73.4 run-defense grade for the 2026 season, on a very small snap sample of 3 defensive plays.[9](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/erick-hunter/150533) He became the second Morgan State linebacker to join the Patriots, after Elandon Roberts, a 2016 sixth-round pick who won [Super Bowl LI](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl-li) with the team.[5](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/9/1/football-morgan-states-erick-hunter-earns-spot-on-new-england-patriots-53-man-roster.aspx)
## Background
Hunter is a native of Capitol Heights, Maryland, and a Westlake High School graduate, where he was a three-sport athlete, a two-year captain in football and basketball, and a Maryland state champion in the 400-meter relay in 2021.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntEr00.htm) • [6](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285) His nickname is "E40," and he is the son of E'Kia Thorne and Tobie Hunter; he majored in business administration at Morgan State with the stated career ambition of playing in the NFL and becoming a certified public accountant, and he enjoys making beats and playing piano.[6](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285)
## References
1. [Erick Hunter Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro-Football-Reference](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuntEr00.htm)
2. [Erick Hunter, New England Patriots roster, Patriots.com](https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/erick-hunter/)
3. [Patriots Sign C Ben Brown and LB Erick Hunter to the 53-Man Roster, Patriots.com](https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-c-ben-brown-and-lb-erick-hunter-to-the-53-man-roster-announce-additional-practice-squad-moves)
4. [Erick Hunter Stats, News and Video, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/erick-hunter/)
5. [Morgan State's Erick Hunter Earns Spot on New England Patriots' 53-Man Roster, Morgan State University Athletics](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/9/1/football-morgan-states-erick-hunter-earns-spot-on-new-england-patriots-53-man-roster.aspx)
6. [Erick Hunter, Football roster, Morgan State University Athletics](https://morganstatebears.com/sports/football/roster/erick-hunter/10285)
7. [HBCU Pro Sports Media, Week of August 12-18, 2024](https://hbcuprosportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/XXXII-2.pdf)
8. [Morgan State LB Erick Hunter Signs as Undrafted Free Agent with Detroit Lions, Morgan State University Athletics](https://morganstatebears.com/news/2026/4/26/football-erick-hunter-signs-as-undrafted-free-agent-with-detroit-lions.aspx)
9. [Erick Hunter, New England Patriots LB, NFL and PFF stats, PFF](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/erick-hunter/150533)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Linebackers › Active professional linebackers › AFC linebackers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license