The Book On: Omar Hunter

Here’s a little info on Notre Dame’s newest commitment Omar Hunter from around the web…

In Buford lurks a big, bad Wolf – Atlanta Journal Constitution

when you are big and bad as Omar Hunter, you can sport whatever uniform number you want. Plus, in Hunter’s case, if you spent as much time in the opponent’s backfield as he did against Central Gwinnett, you might as well sport a number that suits your running back fantasies.

Hunter was the best player on the field as the Wolves dominated a bigger Central Gwinnett team. That’s bigger as in classification (AAAAA to AA), and not in heart, or size. And no Buford player exhibited more spirit or heft than Hunter.

And they say he’s just rounding into form from a knee injury.

When Central botched a handoff on its first possession, Hunter was right there to take possession. He would go on to add another fumble recovery.

Hunter Commits to Notre Dame – Gwinnett Daily Post

“They were always on my list, I just never thought I would go to Notre Dame,” Hunter said. “Notre Dame was always in my top five, but when I went up there they just wowed me. It just seemed like the place to be.

“The hardest part is going to be calling Michigan and telling them I committed to Notre Dame. That’s going to be the toughest thing.”

Buford’s Hunter on the wish list of college programs everywhere – Gwinnett Daily Post

The 6-foot-1, 300-pound Hunter has lost track of exactly how many offers he’s received so far, but the number isn’t really all that important anyway.

It’s the quality of programs that have offered that is truly astounding. LSU, Florida, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama have all already offered a scholarship to the Buford star.

Now all he has to do is figure out which one is the best fit for him.

“I’m going to try to know by September,” said Hunter, who had 85 tackles and 13 tackles-for-loss last season for the Wolves. “I want to be able to focus on my senior season.”

Judging from the quality and quantity of interested programs, Hunter has arguably become the most highly recruited defensive tackle in Gwinnett County history. Almost every big-time program in the Southeast has offered the Buford star.

Hunter can dunk…and is pretty good at football – South Bend Tribune

“When you’re 6-1, 300 and you can dunk a basketball, you’re a pretty good athlete,” said Jess Simpson, Hunter’s coach at Buford (Ga.) High School. “He’s an athlete trapped in a big man’s body.”

One who in 2008 will be headed to Notre Dame on a football scholarship. Hunter, considered by CSTV analyst Tom Lemming to be the nation’s best nose tackle, on Monday became the 14th player to verbally commit to Notre Dame’s recruiting class of 2008.

Broken leg seen as temporary setback – Atlanta Journal Constitution

Standout Buford defensive tackle Omar Hunter suffered what is believed to be a broken leg during Monday’s first day of spring practice, but the injury is not considered serious.

“Not at all,” Wolves coach Jess Simpson said Tuesday afternoon when asked about the severity of the injury. “That’s what I’ve been told so far.”

Hunter, a 6-foot, 300-pounder who ranks as one of the nation’s most sought-after defensive line prospects, fractured his lower leg when a teammate collided with him, Simpson said.

Hunter goes with Irish tradition – Atlanta Journal Constitution

Ultimately, however, the tradition in South Bend won out.

“It was just all around Notre Dame. Being in that stadium, being in that locker room … it was just unbelievable. Touchdown Jesus … it was all just unbelievable,” Hunter said.

Hunter, an agile 6-foot, 300-pounder with excellent explosiveness, plans to make his commitment a binding one during next February’s national signing day.

Other factors in his decision included a perceived better opportunity to play right away and Notre Dame’s relatively small student body enrollment when compared to Michigan’s (roughly 8,000 to 50,00)