Dolphins hope Hunt is a driving force for offensive line in second season
Dolphins right guard Robert Hunt turned 25 in late August, and when he spoke to reporters Tuesday, he reflected on the past few years while also revealing a life accomplishment.
“Definitely different. A lot has changed,” Hunt said. “I’m blessed enough to play this game. “I was playing in college at 21. I didn’t have a car. I just got my license last year at 24. That’s the biggest thing. I got a car and a new license now. That’s the big thing. Now I’ve been driving for a year. I’m 25 and I feel like I’m damn near 30.”
The past 12 months have been full of growth for Hunt — getting his license, finishing his first NFL season and now transitioning to a new position — and the Dolphins are hoping that he’s one of the driving forces behind an offensive line that is improved in 2021.
As a rookie, Hunt started 11 games at right tackle for an offensive line that struggled throughout the 2020 season. Hunt said nobody taught him how to drive growing up so while at Louisiana College, he always tagged along for rides with Rico Robinson, Kevin Dotson and Ken Marks.
“My pops and mom barely had a car,” Hunt said. “It is what it is. I had to wait my turn and God blessed me. I’m good now at 25.”
In the midst of his rookie year, Hunt taught himself how to drive and got his license with assistance from the Dolphins’ director of team security, Drew Brooks.
“He can drive, he can drive now,” left guard Solomon Kindley said with a smile. “When we first got here last year, we were driving to go somewhere on the expressway and he texted me, ‘Hey dude, slow down. I’m going 60 mph. I don’t even go that fast.’ I’m like bro, what do you want me to do? He said, ‘Just send me the location, I’ll just meet you there because you’re going too fast.’ I’m like bro, we are both in the slow lane! I’m not even going fast! I think he’s used to it now. I think he’s pretty good. He doesn’t need no ride or a Lyft or an Uber no more. He can make his own way down.”
Despite Pro Football Focus rating Hunt as one of the NFL’s top-graded right tackles over the final month of the season, Dolphins coaches asked him to make a slight lane change in his second season: move inside to right guard. It’s not a position that’s completely foreign to him — he started 22 games at left guard in college — but has still required some adjusting.
“Getting the hang of it, you could say that,” Hunt said. “From going out to in, it takes a little work. I think I’m doing good with it. I think I’m on pace to continue to get better. Right now I’m still a little raw and still working on some things, some technical things. But it’s been good. I can’t complain about it.
“I enjoy it. I think I’m fairly decent at run blocking. It’s definitely a bang-bang type of game in there. Outside, you have to be savvy. You got to be the same way inside because these guys can move. You’ve got 350-pound guys that can swim, spin and all types of stuff. It’s about me right now, just me working on my game and trying to fix my game or anything I can do.”
Though just 25 and entering his second season, Hunt is a de facto leader on an otherwise young offensive line. The only older projected starter is right tackle Jesse Davis, 29. The offensive line is expected to have starters in four new spots when they begin the season against the New England Patriots on Sept. 12.
But the unit has continued to come together over the course of the offseason workout program and training camp and Davis is a big reason for it.
“It’s just something that came upon us,” Hunt said of the position change, “and you know me, I took it head-on and was willing to work with it. “I can’t complain about anything. I’m blessed to be playing this game at this level anyways, so any job I can think about having here, I’ll do it. It doesn’t matter what it is – receiver, kicker, punter, long snapper, it doesn’t matter. As long as I’ve got a chance to play and try to be the best I can, that’s all I can ask for.”
