Texas Football: Interview with Rising Taylor 2023 CB Cortez Hunter
Written by Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
Katy’s Taylor Mustangs finished the 2020 season 9-3 reaching the third round of the Texas playoffs. In 2021, one of the key pieces of the defense is back in junior cornerback Cortez Hunter. Hunter helped his defensive unit limit teams to 19.5 points a game last year and is working towards an even better season in 2021.
The 5’9”, 175-pound, defensive back plays with great athleticism, speed and quickness. Hunter also does a great job of communicating with his teammates and showing leadership on the field. The 2023 prospect is drawing interest from numerous other big-time programs including Texas and Texas A&M.
In an exclusive Recruiting News Guru interview, I caught up with Cortez to talk about his preparations for his junior season and get an update on his recruiting process.
Interview
Cortez, what are your strengths on the football field?
My strengths on the field are communication and my reaction time. I make sure everybody on the defense is on the same page, even if I have to yell to the other corner on the other side of the field, I will.
Which was your best game last year and why?
My best game last year was against Cinco Ranch, which was also my first varsity game. The experience and the atmosphere were unexplainable. And with the help and support of my teammates Trevor Woods, J Jensen, and the rest of the team, I performed arguably well. Also, my position coach Jeff Mixon and head coach Chad Simmons made the transition easy.
What is your fastest 40-yard dash time?
My fastest 40 time is 4.65 recorded by Coach Jensen. I’ve been working to get that down and I definitely feel faster. I haven’t run a recent one; I’ve been perfecting my start but expect to see one soon.
What have you been working on the most this offseason?
Like I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been working on my speed this offseason and building more muscle. I have also been building chemistry with new teammates and older teammates. If you don’t have that you don’t have anything.
What kind of feedback have you received about your skills this summer?
I’ve received good feedback, advice, and criticism from a lot of college coaches and college football players. They all say the same thing, “You’re going to be great, you have what it takes, keep working and I’ll see you playing on Sundays.”
What other schools are showing you interest at this time?
I’m receiving a lot of interest from colleges. The list consists of Oklahoma State, Washington State, TCU, Texas Tech, Memphis, Ole Miss, Kansas State, Marshall, Texas A&M, Louisiana Tech, Houston and Texas.
All of these coaches have reached out either via phone call, Twitter, or in person and let me know that they’ll be recruiting me this upcoming year. Come Sept. 1, I expect a lot of contact from these universities and more.
What are your goals for your junior year?
My goal for junior year is to be a great teammate; that’s my top priority. Secondly, to have 30-plus tackles, six-plus interceptions, and to have no touchdowns caught on me. Lastly, to make the playoffs. This team is more than capable of making the playoffs. We have great coaches, leadership, and talent everywhere.
What game on the 2021 schedule are you most looking forward to playing?
The game I’m looking forward to the most is Mayde Creek. Every single year this game is the most competitive. It also helps that they’re our rivals. No one wants to lose to their rival. I expect it to be a gritty, talkative, and high-scoring game.
What is your GPA?
I have a 3.1 GPA.
Do you have a favorite quote or Bible verse?
My favorite Bible verse, and what I live by, is Psalm 16:8, “I keep the lord in my mind always because he is my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Photo credit: Twitter.com; Katy Taylor CB Cortez Hunter visits Texas A&M