South Carolina tight end Brady Hunt is entering his third season in Columbia and is one of the more experienced players on the team as he is gearing up for his sixth season of college football in 2026.
The 6-foot-5, 251-pound Hunt was the Gamecocks’ top tight end target last season as he caught 21 passes for 168 yards. Hunt was coming off playing in 10 games in his first season in the garnet and black in 2024, but missed the last three games due to injury.
This upcoming season, Hunt could have more opportunities to make an impact in offensive coordinator Kendal Briles‘ system.
“I think coach Briles a good job of freeing guys up and letting people do what they’re good at,” Hunt said in a press conference on Wednesday. “So that’s kind of good for everybody on the field, people being able to play into their strengths. But there’s going to be some crossover from what we’ve had in the past, and some new. Like I said, I think the biggest thing is just getting guys doing what they do well.”
With the opportunities in Briles’ offense, Hunt is looking to maximize the 15 spring practice to improve his skillset so he can make the most of his final season at South Carolina.
“Things for me are running my feet on contact. Being a little better on the perimeter,” Hunt said. “A lot of that just blocking type stuff and then sharpening up some stuff in the pass game, as well. Really, just trying to get better. That’s why we have spring ball. We get 15 practices. Just trying to maximize those 15.”
In addition to taking the next step on the field, Hunt is also working to improve as a leader heading into his third season with the Gamecocks.
“I think everybody kind of leads in a different way,” he said. “I’m not always going to be a big rah rah, calling people up in the huddle or doing things like that, but I’ve tried to lead. Kind of putting my arms around guys that I see are struggling, and really just leading with my effort first and showing other people how to practice. Kind of creating a culture within the way that we play.”
Although he is looking to turn in his best season statistically in his final year of college football, Hunt is looking forward to doing whatever the team needs him to do to be successful.
“Just want to win. That other stuff comes along,” Hunt said. “The better the offense is as a whole, the better individual seasons we’ll have. So just trying to do whatever I can do to help the offense.”
Earlier in the spring, tight ends coach Shawn Elliott offered high praise for the effort Hunt plays with and believes the Gamecocks’ tight end will have a “big, huge role” in 2026.
“Brady is exceptional young man,” Elliott said. “He’s one of the most intelligent guys we have on our team. He plays with great effort each and every rep. It’s hard to keep him off the field. Brady’s not a tremendous athlete, but he does have some of the best hands that we have on our football team. He can be an inline guy. He can play on the perimeter. He’s smart enough to put himself in position to be in the right place to make these blocks, and not having to utilize that athleticism to do it all. His thinking, the thought process, does it.
“He’s a tremendous asset to us. He’s a leader, and I can’t say enough about him. He’s probably the forgotten guy. … Brady’s going to have a big, huge role for us.”
