DE Dontay Hunter is one of UK's top Buckeye State targets
Dontay Hunter is one of the more highly ranked defensive ends from Ohio's Class of 2019. Kentucky has offered and is pursuing him as hard as any other school.
Hunter attends the same high school that was home to current Wildcat star running back Benny Snell.
He spoke with Cats Illustrated about his interest in Kentucky just recently.
Hunter, a high three-star prospect ranked the No. 26 weakside defensive end in the country, has early offers from Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Rutgers and a large number of schools from the MAC.
He said this week that he's currently in the ballpark of 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds, with Kentucky and other schools recruiting him to play a defensive end/Jack position, which has become a staple of the Mark Stoops era in Lexington.
"I haven't been able to visit any schools lately but I do plan to visit some when I can," Hunter told Cats Illustrated.
Maryland, Kentucky, Rutgers, Cincinnati, Indiana and Toledo are the six schools that have been recruiting Hunter the hardest, he said. And while Hunter doesn't have any favorites - "It's too early to say," he told Cats Illustrated this week - the level of interest those schools have shown has not gone unnoticed.
He also threw in a little tidbit regarding Snell that should make Kentucky fans excited.
"Looking forward to teaming up with (Snell)," Hunter said.
While Hunter hasn't been visiting schools, coaches have been coming to him. Or at least coming to his high school.
"At least two coaches from each of those schools has come at different times," said Hunter. "From Kentucky, it was Coach (Vince) Marrow and Coach (Matt) House. Coach Marros is a real good guy. He's really cool to talk to. Every time we talk I enjoy it. We've talked about himself, how he played in the NFL. He's a great coach. We've talked about great opportunities at Kentucky. He wants to get me back on campus."
The last time Hunter visited Kentucky was the summer of 2017, when he was in Lexington for a camp and unofficial visit.
"I loved it up there," Hunter said. "They had great facilities. I loved it. They had offered me in April, then they invited me to the camp and that's when I visited. I think I did very well at the camp. I was definitely one of the top performers there."
Hunter said he doesn't know what schools he will visit next.
He told Cats Illustrated that he's looking to attend the best academic institution that he can find, with an eye on majoring in either business management or criminal law.