Danielle Hunter Bio Summary
Full name: Danielle Hunter
Date of birth: 29-10-1994
Age: 30 years old (2024)
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m)
Weight: 263 lbs (119 kgs)
College: Louisiana State University
Draft: 2015 – (3rd round, 88th pick)
Profession: NFL player
Position: Defensive End
Early Life
Born on October 29, 1994, in St. Catherine, Jamaica, Danielle Hunter is a defensive end in the NFL. At the age of 8, he relocated to the United States from his birthplace of St. Catherine.
He was raised in Katy, Texas, located west of Houston, and attended Morton Ranch High School. His involvement in youth football began when a coach noticed him playing tag with a boy on roller skates and signed him up.
Despite starting as a defensive end for the first time during his freshman year due to a lackluster performance at wide receiver tryouts, he managed to guide his football team to their first Class 5A State Playoffs appearance as a junior. Throughout the season, he recorded impressive stats of 63 tackles and seven sacks.
During his final year as a high school student, he tallied 30 quarterback pressures, 11 tackles for losses, four sacks, and four pass breakups on defense. He also scored a touchdown and caught four passes for 63 yards while playing on the offensive side.
In his last game against Lamar High School, he was acknowledged for making 16 tackles. Throughout his time in high school, Hunter accumulated a total of 108 tackles.
At the 2011 District Meet, Hunter, who stands at 6’6″ and weighs 225 pounds, excelled in both sprinting and jumping events.
He won the district championship in the high jump with a jump of 1.83 meters (6 feet, 0 inches), and also achieved 5th place in the long jump with a jump of 6.40 meters (20 feet, 11.5 inches) and 6th place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.47 seconds.
Hunter was considered a highly sought-after player by Rivals.com, earning a four-star ranking. In the state of Texas, he was ranked as the 37th top prospect. Additionally, Scout.com, Rivals.com, and ESPN.com all placed him in the top 14, 21, and 34 for defensive ends, respectively.
College Football
From 2012 to 2014, Danielle Hunter was a defensive end for the Louisiana State University Tigers, starting for two consecutive years. He appeared in a total of 38 games and started in 23 of them, maintaining his position as a defensive end for 23 consecutive games.
In January 2015, he chose not to play his last season at LSU and instead entered the 2015 NFL Draft. In his time at college, he recorded 142 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss (79 yards), 4.5 sacks (27 yards), eight pass breakups, seven quarterback hurries, and two forced fumbles (one of which resulted in a 25-yard touchdown).
After completing his junior season, Danielle Hunter participated in the 2015 NFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings chose Hunter as the 88th overall pick in the third round of the draft.
NFL Career
In 2015, the Minnesota Vikings selected Danielle Hunter in the third round of the NFL Draft. He has since emerged as a premier pass rusher in the league, receiving recognition for his exceptional on-field displays with Pro Bowl and All-Pro accolades.
During his first year as a rookie, he participated in every game and accumulated six sacks, leading to his inclusion on the NFL All-Rookie Team. Over the next few years, he made significant progress, receiving Pro Bowl recognition in 2018 and 2019, as well as being selected for the All-Pro team in 2018.
Danielle Hunter was unable to play in the 2020 season due to a neck injury, but in March 2021, he agreed to a revised contract with the Vikings.
In Dec 2023, 27-24 overtime defeat against Cincinnati, Hunter made five tackles (three of them solo) and achieved two sacks. This marks his 11th sack out of 14 games this season, with four instances of multiple sacks.
Hunter recorded three tackles (one solo) and played six special teams snaps in the Vikings’ 33-10 loss to the Packers on Jan 2, 2024. In the 62 defensive snaps he played, he has accumulated a total of 17 tackles (seven solo), with 2.0 sacks, since the team’s Week 13 bye.
With only one game remaining in the regular season, Hunter has surpassed his personal bests in total tackles (77), sacks (15.5), and forced fumbles (four) in 16 games.
During the 2023 season, Danielle Hunter achieved 83 tackles (54 of which were solo), 16.5 sacks, two passes defended, and four forced fumbles. Despite sitting out during the minicamp, he earned a one-year contract and proved his worth during the past season.
This led to his fourth selection to the Pro Bowl team, as well as career-best numbers in tackles, sacks, and forced fumbles for the 29-year-old player.
Net Worth
The contract that Danielle Hunter signed with the Minnesota Vikings has been a major contributor to his earnings. Back in 2018, he signed a highly profitable five-year agreement, worth an impressive $80 million. This translates to an estimated yearly wage of $15-20 million.
Without a doubt, this significant income has greatly contributed to the significant increase in his overall wealth. According to reports, his net worth is estimated to be an astounding $30 million.
