Jarquez Hunter was a bright spot on a bad Auburn team.
We haven’t talked a whole lot about what the Seattle Seahawks’ plans could be at running back. Kenneth Walker III is entering the last year of his contract, Zach Charbonnet showed considerable improvement in his second season, and Kenny McIntosh got some playing time late in the year. Undrafted rookie George Holani scarcely played but impressed in preseason.
Still, running back is a very replaceable position and this is a deep draft class, so every team is going to be zeroed in on intriguing prospects. The Draft Network’s Justin Melo reported on Wednesday that the Seahawks were one of several teams to virtually meet with former Auburn star Jarquez Hunter.
The Carolina Panthers are scheduled to host Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter on a pre-draft “30” visit, per source.
Hunter has also recently completed virtual meetings with the #Texans, #Colts, #Commanders, #Giants, #Cowboys, #Falcons, #Seahawks, and #Rams. https://t.co/SQU8aiEwZQ
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) March 26, 2025
Hunter was was First-team All-SEC in 2024 after being Second-team All-SEC in 2023. Auburn might have been a mess last season and shut out of bowl season with a 5-7 record, but Hunter still rushed for over 1,200 yards and 8 touchdowns on just 187 carries. Hunter closed out his Auburn career with over 3,300 rushing yards on 6.3 yards per attempt, 25 rushing touchdowns, and 68 catches for 558 yards and 4 receiving touchdowns.
The 22-year-old did participate in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Here are the key numbers to know:
- 40-yard dash: 4.44 seconds
- 10-yard split: 1.58 seconds
- Vertical jump: 33.5 inches
- Broad jump: 10 feet
- Bench press (225 lbs): 21 reps
Jarquez Hunter is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.00 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 394 out of 1964 RB from 1987 to 2025.
Splits projected, Times unofficial.https://t.co/NOkEP8qXoN pic.twitter.com/vRHq54QSKx
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 25, 2025
Here’s the brief summary from NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein, who sees Hunter as a backup with starter potential:
Run-after-contact machine who can extend the play well beyond what you might expect. Hunter is a compact back renowned for his lower-body power and battering-ram mentality. He frequently tears through arm tackles and drags tacklers for extra yardage. He could use less “fight” and more “flight” when there are still moves to make on the second level. While the burst is average, he’s decisive and sees run-lane development as a zone-scheme runner. Hunter is a little limited, but his role is easily definable as a two-down pile-mover for teams looking to impose their will on the ground.
Check out his highlights below!