Through the first two weeks of the preseason, former Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter was tied for the NFC lead with 26 rushing attempts.
That’s just what the rookie needs, Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said on Friday.
“Ja’s a good football player, and you saw some really good stuff from Auburn,” LaFleur said. “It’s the reason (Rams general manager) Les (Snead) and his team pinpointed him right away and why we took him early on that Saturday in May or April – whenever the draft is.
“But he’s a guy that, again, just the more opportunities he gets, the better it’s going to be. He’s got the right intentionally. Being with (running-backs coach) Ron (Gould) in that running-back room, being with all those running backs is great for any running back, let alone a rookie, because you’re held to such a high standard. So he’ll be another piece to this thing, and organically it’ll kind of all figure itself out.”
In his debut in a Los Angeles uniform, Hunter ran for 41 yards on 11 carries while playing 27 offensive snaps and returned a kickoff 21 yards in a 31-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 9.
“My last football game I played was in November,” Hunter said after the game, “so it’s been a long period of time since I had physical contact. It felt good just getting back out there active with the guys. I felt like camp went pretty well. And just going out there for my first NFL game, it was pretty good.”
Hunter came back with 55 yards on 15 carries and a 2-yard reception on 30 offensive snaps in a 23-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 16.
“I feel like it was pretty good,” Hunter said after the game. “I mean, just getting downhill, reading my read keys and trying to make the defense not want to tackle me, and just try to attack them.”
Hunter will get another opportunity for game reps when the Rams conclude their preseason schedule against the Cleveland Browns at noon CDT Saturday in Cleveland.
After running for 1,201 yards and eight touchdowns on 187 carries in 2024, including a 278-yard outburst in a 24-10 victory over Kentucky on Oct. 26, Hunter pushed himself to fourth on Auburn’s all-time rushing list with 3,371 rushing yards before departing for the NFL as a fourth-round draft choice on April 26.
Los Angeles picked Hunter even though leading rusher Kyren Williams returns after running for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns on 316 carries in 2024.
The Rams’ No. 2 rusher, Blake Corum, also is back. He had 207 yards on 58 carries in 2024 as Williams dominated the Los Angeles backfield.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1
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