Jalen Hunt, Bearcats Defensive Line Ready To Step Up In Dontay Corleone's Absence

 Jalen Hunt is healthy and mauling early in the Bearcats' 2025 football season. The Cincinnati defensive tackle chatted with me after practice on Tuesday and noted it's a next man up mentality for the Bearcats with star defensive tackle Dontay Corleone out for a couple of weeks.

Hunt has flashed outside this season as a 315-pound defensive end and has been around 40 snaps in both of the opening two UC games. It has resulted in two run stops and one quarterback pressure.

"I think for us, it's a next man up mentality, because we prepare for this in the offseason," Hunt told me about Corleone's absence. "That just in case, if somebody goes down, it's next man up, no matter who it is, if it's me, Dontay, Mikah [Coleman], the next one up, just come in and do the job just as well as the guy that did."

Hunt has been staying diligent with his body after missing the whole 2024 season due to injury. UC's top-level athletic training staff has him firing on all cylinders physically.

"I feel pretty good. I'd say I take pride in taking care of my body," Hunt noted.

Check out our full conversation below: