May 28, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Jarquez Hunter (35) runs to sideline during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Rams Draft Review: Jarquez Hunter is a Hard-Nosed Runner

Originally posted on Los Angeles Rams on SI
By Jared Feinberg | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 11:30 AM ET

Kyren Williams has been a productive tailback for the Los Angeles Rams in the last two seasons with well over 1,100 yards in 2023 and 2024. His contributions to the roster have been immense and impactful to the Rams offense but at some point, the in-house competition must get their share of the pie.

Williams enters the season in a contract year, looking to make himself a lot of money one way or another. However, 2024 third-round pick Blake Corum and rookie Jarquez Hunter will be vying for playing time after Williams took over 90 percent of the snap shares last season. Head coach Sean McVay likely understands this and will try to get his younger backs some run.

Hunter is the intriguing player in the room with his style of play. A former three-star recruit, Hunter was one of the most productive running backs in Auburn Tigers history. Selected in the fourth round of this year's NFL Draft, this is a player who could see the field early because of what he brings to the table.

I took a dive into Hunter's All-22 coaching film from last season. The three games I viewed- vs. Oklahoma, at Georgia, at Kentucky- showcased a player with a one-cut, physical run style and tempo that should complement the Rams offense well, an element that has been missed in recent years as Los Angeles continued their roster shakeup.

Hunter plays with urgency and a sense of aggression that you need in an SEC running back. When he's working on his track as a ball carrier and reading from the mesh point, Hunter is quick to process and attack creases with quality burst in his step to get to the second level quickly. His cuts are decisive and his style behind the line of scrimmage makes him a great fit in zone blocking schemes like the Rams and McVay have.

I love the way Hunter plays behind his pads. He can get north as a runner quickly and always falls forward after contact, something I tend to appreciate with runners in general. Hunter plays with adequate contact balance and leg churn to pick up an extra few yards after contact.

At 5-foot-9, 204 pounds, Hunter plays bigger than his size but his low center of gravity allows him to squeeze through creases that defenders may not expect him to. He also has the burst to win the edge against hard-setting pass rushers on the play side to get to the corner edge and work up the sideline.

#Rams RB Jarquez Hunter may not have adequate size, but there’s plenty of density in his frame as a runner. Run well behind his pads. Fun one-cut runner with sufficient burst.

Reminds me of Chuba Hubbard coming out. pic.twitter.com/EGpwqAw4Z2
— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) June 24, 2025

Hunter isn't the best athlete in the world. His hips are naturally tight, which prevents him from being able to constantly put together moves to work out of the congestion of players on the first and second levels. He's also undersized, which makes for some issues in pass protection despite some flashes of using his dense frame and pop behind the pads.

Furthermore, I see Hunter's speed as sufficient but a couple of notches under elite. He has been caught from behind on big runs because of this, leaving the Rams running back room without an explosive speed element.

I would also like to see Hunter protect the ball better after seven career fumbles at Auburn, a necessity at the next level. His receiving production profile is underwhelming but has shown some natural hands at the catch point but will need to expand his route tree.

Overall, Hunter's skill set and combination of quickness, balance, lower-half play strength, and short-area burst make him a great fit behind McVay's zone blocking scheme. His current skill set reminds me of Chuba Hubbard coming out of Oklahoma State in 2021. Hubbard had issues with his pass-catching profile and ability in pass protection but has grown into a great running back for the Carolina Panthers.

Hunter has the ceiling to be a potential starter for the Rams and this season could be the one that helps him reach that potential. He will have to compete with Corum for snaps but is too talented of a runner to keep off the field.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Rams on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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