It's always interesting for fans and spectators to take a close look at SMU's roster every spring to spot the new names and faces while out at workouts. In this year's case, one individual might be easier to recognize than others when it comes to new defensive lineman Margus Hunt.

"He's really big," said sophomore cornerback Derrius Bell. "He's a big dude. Seriously. He's big."

Checking in at 6-foot-7 ¾ (with his shoes off) and 270-pounds, the redshirt freshman from Karksi-Nuia, Estonia appears to be much larger than any normal defensive lineman. After watching him go through workouts in the weight room, it doesn't take anyone long to notice that he's stronger than the average d-end as well.

"That new defensive end from Estonia is a freak of a nature," said senior wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. "He was squatting the other day in the weight room and I was just like, 'Is he really squatting that much?' He was off the charts! They literally have a chart in the weight room and he was squatting a number that wasn't even on there and he did it five times."

Hunt's background and story as to how he got on the football field is one that explains a lot. His natural sport is track and field where Hunt happens to be the current world junior record holder in the discus throw. That achievement became possible after winning gold medals in both the shot and the discuss at the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing.

"Because of the Olympic lifts, he's stronger than all of our guys on the team right now," said strength and conditioning head coach Vic Viloria. "On the three lift total of the cling, squat and bench, he'll beat any person on the team."

In Dallas, Hunt is currently unknown to the college football world but back in Hunt's home country, he's a superstar.

"It's hard for us to understand it," said Viloria. "Imagine if LeBron James decided to go play football. Every newspaper would want to see what he could do and every coach would want to see what he could do because he's such a freak athlete.

"Margus may not may not be as big as LeBron on a worldwide scene but when he goes to his country, he is one of the top athletes in his country. He's an elite athlete and one of the premier athletes in the world."

Training on the Hilltop since last spring, Hunt is actually entering his second year enrolled at SMU after being on the track team last in 2008. Though Hunt is unfamiliar to most, Viloria has known about this secret weapon for quite some time.

"He's someone that I've watched since I got here. I've watched him lift and I would just shake my head. Every once and a while, I'd give him the idea about the thoughts of him playing tight end and defensive end and how much money I think he could make in the NFL."

It's not uncommon to see Hunt going through his regular workouts while bench pressing over 425-pounds and power clinging almost 400-pounds. On the power snatch, nearly 300-pounds is the norm.

"That's when he slings it from the ground to over his head in one movement," said Viloria. "When you take a guy that's 6-7 and he's taking 300-pounds above his head, you have a serious athlete you're dealing with.

"To be able to take that weight and not only jump up and get it up in the air but also train the body to absorb that impact of 300 pounds and keeping the shoulders and arms locked out with core strength is amazing. If you want to see his core strength, come watch him throw that weight up where he's balancing with his core."

Viloria believes that Hunt finally gave into the game of football for two reasons.

"First of all, the richest person from his country is Michael Ross who is an offensive lineman at left tackle for the Tennessee Titans. I think Margus understands what his future could be. He knows he's a great athlete. He knows that if he trained hard that he could be the top thrower in the world.

"Secondly, he also wants another challenge. He's a competitor. When you win that many times, it becomes addicting. That's good to have on our football team. You have to have that feeling after winning a tough game."

After finishing 116th in rush defense last year and allowing 225 yards per game on the ground, SMU couldn't ask for a better time for Hunt to join the team. Though his unfamiliarity to football has some wondering if he'll really pan out, others on the team have had a hard time noticing any growing pains.

"He seems to big really athletic and really fast off the ball," said Bell. "I was talking to him one day and asked him about his football background. He was telling me that he had never played before. I was just surprised with him being so big that he had never touched a football. With the coaches that we have and with time, I think there's no doubt that he can be a quality pickup by just being a part of our program."

"The other day we were pulling a sled and he was running with a couple of skill guys," said Sanders. "I noticed that he was running right with them. With every step he takes it almost seems like its five yards because his stride is so long. Once he understands football, I don't think anyone is going to be able to stop him."

The Mustangs sure hope that he will become that elusive. If Hunt will be able to cause as much as a stir on the field in 2009 as he has off of it, the 'freak athlete' from Estonia could instantly become a vital piece to SMU's future defense.