Former Auburn Tigers star announces transfer destination

Former Auburn Tigers defensive tackle Lee Hunter will transfer to UCF, he posted Thursday via Instagram. A true freshman, he did not see any game action this past season.

“Where I come from, you got two chances to make it,” he wrote in his Instagram caption.

Hunter committed to the Tigers as a four-star recruit over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Oregon and others. He was the No. 13 defensive lineman in the 2021 class according to On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. The 6-foot-4, 321-pound lineman finished with 54 tackles (20 for loss) as a senior at Blount High School in Mobile, Alabama.

Gus Malzahn, a former Auburn coach who parted ways with the school in 2020, now leads the Knights. Although Hunter never played for Malzahn at Auburn, he was recruited by the coach’s staff. That could have played a factor in his decision to join UCF.

Malzahn led UCF to a 9-4 finish in his first season, including a victory against Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl. The Knights have been one of the more successful Group of 5 teams in recent years, with undefeated regular season in 2017 and 2018.

Auburn hired Bryan Harsin from Boise State to replace Malzahn in 2021. The coach went 6-7 in his inaugural season, leading the Tigers to an appearance in the Birmingham Bowl.

Hunter wasn’t alone in his decision to leave the program this offseason. Several other Auburn Tigers, including quarterback Bo Nix and defensive back Ladarius Tennison, made the decision to transfer as well.

The former Auburn defensive tackle will first get the chance to make an impact with UCF on Sept. 10 when the Knights open their 2022 season against Louisville. With his talent, he could quickly become a fixture for Malzahn on the defensive line.