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Hunter Barth

Queen Creek HS, Queen Creek, AZ, Casteel HS

c/o 2021

6’2” 195 lbs

Strong Safety

3 star

If you fly into Phoenix and you head south rather than north into Scottsdale/Phoenix, you’ll hit Queen Creek – a bedroom community with parks, golf courses, and picturesque scenery desert scenery. It is also a place where some serious football is played at Casteel and Queen Creek High Schools.

Hunter Barth was an early bloomer, growing to 6’2” as a freshman at Casteel. Casteel steamrollered its opponents, so Barth was able to play in 8 games as a backup during mop-up time with 15 tackles. His sophomore year, he became a starter at strong safety and racked up 51 tackles over 12 games. He then gained 25 pounds, transferred to Queen Creek HS down the road, had to sit 5 games due to transfer rules, and then promptly racked up 51 tackles over 8 games.

If you look at his junior highlight tape (Hudl: http://www.hudl.com/v/2C1T3F), you’ll see him a common theme. Read. React. Come streaking in like a Great White Barth. Barth’s clearly has shown the ability to sniff out plays and come in to smash a receiver just as the ball arrives. His highlights are more aggressive top cover ball hawk – rather than a defender who plays his man. Very high grades. Tall for the secondary. And athletic enough to play WR. Check out the spin move he pulls AS A SAFETY at 4:26 of the tape. So sweet.

There isn’t enough in his highlight reel for me to really see how good he is in man-coverage, but he’s played 7-on-7 leagues/camps all over the West Coast – enough to garner 19 offers, including 7 Pac-12 offers. I also can’t really tell how fast he is. He gains so much ground by being early to react rather than being blazing fast. He didn’t have a lot of pass defended nor INTs also hints to me that he’s not a Ashtyn Davis type blazer. Also, he didn’t do track sprint events in high school.

He seems to be a physical tweener. He is 6’2” and close to 200 pounds. Despite that, he seems like he got a ton more room to beef up everywhere for another 15-20 pound. If his stats are anywhere close to being truthful, having a 220-plus pound safety without obvious burner speed might make him more of a natural “Star” position, the hybrid safety/linebacker. He reminds me of Daniel Scott, who I expect to be a starting safety if the 2020 season is played.

Another year of high school ball and two year of S&C – and I suspect you’ll see Great White Barth destroying Stanfurd’s tall receivers.

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Keep em coming! Woot Go Bears! Bummed we're out on Franklin and McCarron but there are still some qualities young guys to bring aboard!

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Another from that mysterious Arizona pipeline...

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Did we just get a 4* OT?? Trent Ramsey

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Nice. Go Bears!

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Awesome! I see Yates is listed as his recruiter, hes clearly smart, and hes considered a safety on 247-nice on both fronts. You forgot the "h" on Utah in his offer list btw! lol

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