Los Angeles Rams select Jarquez Hunter in fourth round of 2025 NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams selected Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They took him with the No. 117 overall pick after trading up with the Indianapolis Colts. The Rams traded way picks No. 127 and 190 (sixth round) to grab Hunter in the fourth round.

Hunter had a highly productive career at Auburn, one in which he got better and better every single year. He burst onto the scene as a freshman with a 593-yard, three-touchdown campaign.

By the time he was a senior, Jarquez Hunter posted a line of 187 carries for 1,201 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 21 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown as a senior.

In total during his four years, Hunter recorded 539 carries for 3,371 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also caught 68 passes for 558 yards and four touchdowns.

Prior to enrolling at Auburn, Jarquez Hunter was ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 763 overall recruit in the 2021 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He also checked in as the No. 51 running back in the class and the No. 12 overall player from the state of Mississippi, hailing from Philadelphia (MS) Neshoba Central.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Jarquez Hunter

There’s a lot to like about Hunter’s game, not the least of which is that he’s versatile enough to catch passes out of the backfield. He’s also a physical presence, able to chip in on pass protection.

Opinions varied a bit, but most figured he could be a quality NFL contributor. The NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein had the following to say in evaluating Jarquez Hunter as a prospect:

“Run-after-contact machine who can extend the play well beyond what you might expect. Hunter is a compact back renowned for his lower-body power and battering-ram mentality. He frequently tears through arm tackles and drags tacklers for extra yardage.

“He could use less ‘fight’ and more ‘flight’ when there are still moves to make on the second level. While the burst is average, he’s decisive and sees run-lane development as a zone-scheme runner. Hunter is a little limited, but his role is easily definable as a two-down pile-mover for teams looking to impose their will on the ground.”