Peach State QB DJ Hunter commits to James Madison after official visit seals decision
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DJ Hunter didn’t need much time to know James Madison was the right fit.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound quarterback from Buford (Ga.), one of the nation’s premier high school football programs, announced his commitment to the Dukes after an official visit confirmed what he already suspected.
“I kind of had an idea that I was going to commit before the visit,” Hunter told Rivals. “The official visit was the cherry on top and just gave me the clarity that I needed to tell that this was the right choice for me to make.”
Hunter chose James Madison over Liberty, Old Dominion and Marshall after collecting 20 offers during his recruitment.
James Madison offered Thursday after started their recruitment of Hunter about two months ago. Quarterbacks coach Ryan Pflugrad played a major role in the commitment.
“Coach Pflugrad has been the main coach recruiting me so far,” Hunter said. Just being on the phone with him and him coming up to see me practice during spring ball really gave me a chance to get to know him. Seeing how he interacts with the players really drew me closer to him.”
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The more Hunter learned about the program, the more convinced he became.
“One reason is just the winning culture that JMU has,” he said. “JMU is known for winning. That’s the standard they push to their guys every day. Another thing is how interconnected the team is. It’s like one big family there. Everybody on the team wants to be there. Lastly, it’s the relationships I’ve built with the coaches throughout the recruiting process.”
His official visit only strengthened those feelings.
“This was my first time being there, and I loved every second of it. The scenery and the community stood out. Just walking around campus, you can tell it has a winning atmosphere.”
Hunter also expressed confidence in the direction of the program under head coach Billy Napier and his staff.
“I think Coach Napier can do great things with the program they’re building,” Hunter said. “Especially with the coaches he brought in. They have won in the past. The staff does things the right way. I feel like this is a program that really believes in me and what I can do.”
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