- Slug: Sports-Hamilton lineman, 540 words
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By SHAWN MORAN
Cronkite News
CHANDLER – Hamilton High School has never had a shortage of talent inside its football program. Since 1999, the Huskies have produced eight NFL players and countless Division I football recruits. Some of the greatest offensive lineman in state history have gone through the Hamilton program.
Add offensive lineman Hunter Mayginnes to the group.
“He’s right at the top of the list. He’s definitely one of the best,” coach Dick Baniszewski said.
At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, Mayginnes has prototypical size to play tackle at the next level. A two-year starter in high school and Arizona State commit, he plays with a mean streak and mindset that any football coach would desire.
“I just like hitting people,” he said, “It kind of makes me feel good inside, even though it sounds a little mean or rude, but every time I hit somebody it just brings out this sense of pride or dominance.”
Hamilton’s offense averaged 231.8 rushing yards per game last season in a system designed to capitalize on Mayginnes’ blocking ability. Playing right tackle, Baniszewski’s offense was designed to run to the right so that the runner could wait for Mayginnes to go out and “crush” someone on the defense.
A natural run-blocker who prefers to play through the whistle could be exactly what the Sun Devils’ football program needs to take its offense to a new level under new coach Herm Edwards.
“He finishes. When he locks onto a guy it’s basically game over,” Baniszewski said.
With under a month to go until signing day, Mayginnes has reopened his recruitment following the firing of Todd Graham. He took an official visit to UCLA this past weekend but says he is still planning to be a Sun Devil for the upcoming season.
Since moving from Southern California when he was 6 years old, Mayginnes has told his mother that he wants to play professional football. He would regularly attend two ASU games each season and invision himself wearing the maroon and gold.
“As of now, I’m still committed to ASU. I grew up watching them and it was kind of a dream for me to get an offer from them,” Mayginnes said.
Now that he is close to his official signing, Mayginnes has set his eyes on bigger goals.
“I plan to start as a true freshman. I’ll just put my head down, don’t say a word and just go to work and hopefully I can get a start or two,” he said.
With a young backfield next season, the Sun Devils running backs would embrace a powerful presence up front like Mayginnes. He can force a team to change its game plan and make the game enjoyable for his backfield.
“It was so fun running behind him. He would make my job a whole lot easier. The hole was usually huge coming up behind him,” senior running back and Syracuse commit Jawhar Jordan Jr. said.
Mayginnes still does not believe he is a finished product and expects to work hard at the next level to improve his technique. While sharing that thought with his player, Baniszewski believes Mayginnes will be successful wherever he decides to sign on February 8.
“Face it, when you’re running behind Hunter, you’re gonna get some yards.”
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