Rams RB Jarquez Hunter Has Something to Prove This Preseason

When the Los Angeles Rams released their initial depth chart of the preseason on Wednesday, one thing stood out immediately. After drafting running back Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round last year, he was listed behind Ronnie Rivers and alongside undrafted free agents Dean Connors and Jordan Waters.

If anything, it emphasized just how important this preseason is for Hunter. With a competitive roster, there’s no guarantee that Hunter will make the roster. The Rams have gone into the season with three running backs in the past, and they could do so again. Hunter needs to have a strong preseason to show that he deserves a roster spot.

Jarquez Hunter’s Spot on Depth Chart Is Concerning

Still, that doesn’t make it less concerning that Hunter is listed where he is on the depth chart. It wasn’t surprising that Hunter didn’t play much as a rookie. The Rams typically bring their rookies along slowly and Blake Corum got limited action the year before. However, heading into his second year in the offense, it would have been fair to expect Hunter to progress.

Multiple things can be true when it comes to Hunter. It’s very possible that he’s done everything that the coaching staff has asked of him. Just because he’s lower on the depth chart doesn’t mean he hasn’t progressed. At the same time, there was reason to expect Hunter to be ahead of Rivers at this point.

However, Hunter didn’t play a single snap on offense as a rookie, and he also doesn’t provide the same special teams value as Rivers. Hunter played just 22 special teams snaps during the regular season, which all came within the first six weeks. He was inactive from Week 7 to Week 18. It is worth mentioning that Hunter played 13 special teams snaps in the Wild Card round against the Carolina Panthers.

How Blake Corum Changed Hunter’s Outlook

When the Rams drafted Hunter, there was a need for his skill set in the offense. In 2024, the Rams’ running game lacked explosiveness. They had the lowest explosive run rate at just 1.8 percent. It made sense then to draft the player who had the second-highest explosive run rate among FBS running backs with 150 or more carries.

Things have changed since then. At the time of drafting Hunter, Kyren Williams was in the final year of his rookie deal. The Rams hadn’t extended a running back since Todd Gurley following the 2017 season. Given Williams’ value to the run game, the Rams opted to extend him in August.

Additionally, very few would have expected Blake Corum to break out in the way that he did. Corum ranked fifth in the NFL in explosive run rate, bringing the Rams into the top 10 in that stat category. He also finished 10th in missed tackles forced per attempt.

It’s fair to say that the Rams should have had an idea that they were going to try to bring back Williams during April’s draft. However, it’s unlikely that they expected Corum to take a huge step forward. When the Rams drafted Corum, they also saw him as a similar style of running back to Williams with a similar skill set. Instead, he’s turned out to be the perfect complementary piece.

Hunter Still Has Time to Prove Himself

It seems harsh to call Hunter a bust, especially after one year. Simply put, the context within the roster has changed significantly since the Rams drafted Hunter. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a good player, buthis lack of special teams ability also limits his overall value on the roster given the depth at the running back position.

Given the excitement around the Hunter pick last year, it’s certainly disappointing to see him buried on the initial depth chart. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t prove himself during the preseason and earn a spot on the 53. While he may not be the complementary back that many expected when he was drafted, there is still an opportunity for him to find his place on the roster.

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