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Could Fourth-Round Rookie Emerge as Rams’ Leading Rusher?
Auburn Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter (27) runs the ball as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. Auburn Tigers defeated Texas A&M Aggies 43-41 in fourth overtime. Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One year ago this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered camp with an offensive backfield consisting of a crafty veteran quarterback, a workhorse fourth-year running back and a rookie fourth-round draft pick. Sound familiar?

The Los Angeles Rams are in virtually the same situation. And as former L.A. offensive coordinator Liam Coen evolved the Buccaneers last year into a dangerous and balanced attack, Sean McVay noticed that the fourth-round rookie, Bucky Irving, emerged as the team’s leading rusher. After the season, the Rams’ head coach said he was going to focus on finding more explosive plays in his offense.

“I think the biggest thing is there would be a little bit more versatility,” McVay told reporters in January, days after the playoff loss at Philadelphia. “How do you utilize the offseason and how are you making yourself more versatile from a personnel perspective or from a run-variety perspective? Those are the things that I’m excited to be able to dive into.

“I was talking to Liam Coen the other day. One of the coolest things that I think is reflected about what a great job he did was you’ve got a background and then when you watch them evolve with Bucky Irving and the way they ran the football and some of the variety and personnel groupings, I thought that was a cool reflection of maybe we think we’re going to do that, and then what you evolved into, if you’re able to understand that the best coaches adjust to their players.”

Now, one of the game’s best coaches has had a full offseason to adjust to his players, including rookie running back Jarquez Hunter. Could the fourth-round selection from Auburn evolve into the Rams’ version of Irving?

To find out would certainly behoove the Rams, who have yet to reach a contract extension with fourth-year starter Kyren Williams. Like Tampa Bay’s Raachad White in 2024, Williams this year enters training camp as the starter. Both players entered the league in the 2022 draft.

And while Williams has a Pro Bowl and has shown more durability and production than his Buccaneers counterpart – Williams rushed for 1,144 and 1,299 yards, respectively, in 2023 and ’24 – the Rams want competition to bring out the best player. That player could be Williams, Blake Corum or Hunter.

A two-year starter at Auburn, Hunter also backed up Tank Bigsby before the Jaguars drafted him. Only Bo Jackson, Cadillac Williams and James Brooks finished their Auburn careers with more rushing yards than Hunter. According to The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler, Hunter was a Mississippi state champion powerlifter in high school. weight-room maven

“Hunter has a cut-up physique,” Brugler wrote in his annual pre-draft publication, The Beast, “and his physical, balanced run style makes him a chore to tackle (ranked No. 2 in the FBS with 36.6 percent of his 2024 carries resulting in a first down or touchdown).

“He isn’t the most creative or elusive runner at the line of scrimmage or in space, but he keeps his legs pumping to carry tacklers draped on his back. Overall, Hunter’s vision and tempo tend to run hot and cold, but he is a hammerhead with downhill burst to run through holes and into contact without gearing down. Along with his hungry run style, his impact on special teams will separate him on an NFL depth chart.”

News from Rams training camp is available 24/7 via OnSI. Follow @RamsInsideronSI and @BrockVierra on X (Twitter) for the most updated information. And, share your thoughts on the team’s running back competition when you visit the Facebook page (here).


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

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