Auburn running back has one of the highest PFF grades among returning SEC backs

This running back is set to have an elite 2024 season.

Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter (27) celebrates his touchdown against Vanderbilt during the first quarter at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA

This Auburn football team is going to be very dependent on how well Jarquez Hunter plays. Last season for the Tigers, Hunter just barely missed the 1,000-yard mark as he finished the year with 159 carries for 909 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. The 5'10 running back from Mississippi also caught 18 passes for 118 yards for the Tigers last season. 

The 2023 season was the first where we saw Hunter take over as the RB1 for this team as he stepped into the role left by Tank Bigsby. Hunter had a fine season, but not the elite season many imagined he would have. Hunter missed the first game of the season, and had he not missed, it would have likely had 1,000 yards rushing. 

Hunter had an ok 2023 season, but the offensive struggles as a whole made it to where it feels like he wasn't as good as many would have imagined. 

Hunter is back for his senior season and is ready to explode onto the season in year two as the RB1 for the Auburn Tigers. PFF put out their top ten grades among returning backs in college football, and Hunter was tenth. His grade during the 2023 season was a 77.6 which is really good, but I expect him to improve on it this year. 

Hunter will easily eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this season, as the offense should be much better. Auburn fans would love to see him more involved in the passing game, as we saw during the 2022 season.