jarquez hunter – Syndication Server

Jarquez Hunter announces plans to enter NFL draft

Hunter was a vital piece of Auburn’s offense for four seasons. Now, he is ready to turn pro.

A major bright spot in Auburn football’s recent history is ready for the next step in his college career.

[autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], who played a vital role in Auburn’s offense as the team’s premier running back over the last two seasons, announced Thursday that he is declaring for the NFL draft after four great years on the Plains.

Hunter shared the news on social media by writing to Auburn fans, coaches, and teammates. He began his post by sharing his gratitude for the opportunity to play for Auburn.

“First and foremost I want to thank GOD for blessing me with an opportunity to be able to play at my dream school and the position he has put me in. I give him all the glory and without him I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Although underutilized, there is zero doubt that the Auburn fanbase fully appreciated Hunter. Hunter stepped into the premier back role in 2023 following the departure of [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag] to the NFL, where he played at a high level over his final two seasons on the Plains. His first season as the bellcow back saw him rush for 909 yards on 159 carries while scoring seven touchdowns.

He finally reached the 1,000-yard mark as a senior in 2024 by rushing for 1,201 yards on 187 carries. Playcalling limited Hunter’s rushing ability as he recorded less than 20 carries in nine of 12 games this season. Coincidentally, Auburn won three games when Hunter carried the football more than 20 times.

Hunter joins an extensive list of offensive starters who will move on from the program due to graduation including quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag], and tackle [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag].

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Auburn lands Virginia Tech transfer Xavier Chaplin

Chaplin aims to earn a starting spot within Auburn’s offensive line in 2025.

Virginia Tech offensive lineman [autotag]Xavier Chaplin[/autotag] committed to the Auburn Tigers on Sunday from the transfer portal. The 6-7, 323-pound offensive tackle started every game for the Hokies over the last two seasons after redshirting his freshman campaign in 2022.

A former three-star recruit, Chaplin has outperformed projections significantly during his college career. 247 Sports ranked the South Carolina native as the second-best offensive tackle in the 2025 transfer cycle, giving Hugh Freeze a much-needed anchor of an offensive line set to lose a few pieces next season.

After helping his Hokies rank No. 22 in rush yards per game in 2023, Chaplin again paved the way toward a successful rushing attack in Blacksburg this season. Running back Bhayshul Tuten finished the season with glaringly similar numbers to Auburn starter [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], although Tuten’s scoring production (15 touchdowns) outpaced Hunter’s.

Chaplin will be entering his junior season in 2025 on the Plains. Still with two years of eligibility remaining, the former Hokie will have a direct path to earning a starting role along the offensive line next season. While left tackle [autotag]Dillon Wade[/autotag] is reportedly returning for his final season, right tackle [autotag]Izavion Miller[/autotag] is out of eligibility, leaving a void likely to be filled by the newest Tiger.

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Running back Durrell Robinson commits to Auburn

Robinson finished last season with 731 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns with UConn

Former UConn Huskies running back [autotag]Durell Robinson[/autotag] committed to join the Auburn Tigers on Saturday. Robinson, who originally committed to Charlotte, played one season with UConn before entering the transfer portal earlier this month.

The 6-foot-1 speedster played his high school football at St. Frances Academy in Maryland, which has now become somewhat of an Auburn recruiting pipeline. 2025 Tiger signees [autotag]Blake Woodby[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Deas[/autotag], and [autotag]Darrion Smith[/autotag] attended the school, and while none made much of an impact while Robinson was there, they did suit up on the same squad.

After playing sparingly with Charlotte in his redshirt freshman season, Robinson finished his first season with the Huskies with 731 yards and 8 touchdowns on just 107 carries. His 6.8 yards per carry led the team, finishing well ahead of starting running back Cam Edwards. The former three-star prospect received an offer from one SEC program during his recruitment process, the Kentucky Wildcats.

Still with three years of eligibility remaining, Robinson joins an Auburn backfield set to be led by senior [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] next season. While Alston is the likely candidate to garner the bulk of the carries and Henderson is sure to compete for playing time following his historically phenomenal high school career, Robinson could earn himself a change-of-pace role very similar to the one he had with the Huskies.

At the very least, [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff now have a myriad of options in the 2025 backfield. We’ll see how the Tigers ultimately decide to move forward after losing [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag].

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UConn running back transfer Durell Robinson set to visit Auburn

The former three-star prospect attended the same high school as a trio of 2025 Auburn signees

Former UConn Huskies running back [autotag]Durell Robinson[/autotag] entered the transfer portal following the regular season, and he reportedly is eyeing the Plains as a possible destination to continue his college career. According to Nathan King of Auburn Undercover, Robinson is scheduled to visit Auburn on Wednesday.

The Seat Pleasant, Maryland native played his high school football at St. Frances Academy in Maryland, which happens to be the same school that 2025 Tiger signees [autotag]Blake Woodby[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Deas[/autotag], and [autotag]Darrion Smith[/autotag] attended.

The freshman running back has three remaining years of eligibility after a solid first season with the Huskies. After starting his career at Charlotte, Robinson joined UConn this season to create an effective 1-2 punch with Cam Edwards. Both backs rushed for over 700 yards this season, with Robinson finishing his season with 731 yards and 8 touchdowns on just 107 carries. The former three-star prospect received an offer from one SEC program during his recruitment process, the Kentucky Wildcats.

Standing at 6-1 and weighing 200 pounds, Robinson could be a nice fit for an Auburn backfield set to be led by senior [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Alvin Henderson[/autotag] next season. While he still has yet to spend time in Auburn and talk with [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and his staff, the fit makes sense considering Robinson would presumably have much of the same role he did last season with UConn while joining a trio of his high school teammates on the Plains.

If he were to transfer to Auburn, Robinson, along with Alston, Henderson, and [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag], would have large shoes to fill following the departure of [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag]. With plenty of holes to fill and months to go before the season starts, Auburn’s backfield should have an almost completely different look in 2025.

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A pair of Tigers earn All-SEC honors

Offensive superstars Jarquez Hunter and KeAndre Lambert-Smith received the accolade from the conference

A duo of Auburn seniors were named to the All-SEC Team this week. Offensive superstars Jarquez Hunter and KeAndre Lambert-Smith received the accolade from the conference, with the former earning a spot on the coveted ‘First Team’.

Hunter, who was named to the Preseason First-Team back in August, lived up to expectations during his final season as an Auburn Tiger. The senior from Philadelphia, MS set career-best marks in carries (187), yards (1,201), and rushing touchdowns (8), while finishing with his highest yards per carry (6.4) since his freshman season, when he averaged 6.7 yards per attempt on just 89 carries.

The senior’s strong season vaulted him into fourth place on the Auburn all-time rushing list with 3,371 rushing yards. He finished behind just James Brooks, Cadillac Williams, and Bo Jackson on the list. Hunter was one of two running backs to earn a spot on the First Team, sharing his placement with SEC Offensive Player of the Year Dylan Sampson, who finished the regular season as the leading rusher in the conference. The Tennessee star was the only back in the conference to finish with more than 200 carries, while himself and Hunter were the only two that surpassed the century mark in rushing yards.

First year Tiger KeAndre Lambert-Smith also earned a spot on the All-Conference Team, although the senior had to settle for Second Team honors. Auburn’s leading receiver, Lambert-Smith finished just 19 yards short of becoming the third ever Tiger to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark in a season. His 981 receiving yards finished third among all pass catchers in the conference, while his 8 receiving touchdowns finished tied for second behind only LSU’s Kyren Lacy, who had 9. Alabama’s Ryan Williams (857 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Missouri’s Luther Burden (676 yards, 6 touchdowns) earned spots on the First Team ahead of Lambert-Smith.

Auburn’s football season may not have gone the way the two seniors had wanted it to, but both players should be proud of their individual efforts nonetheless. The pair of seniors cemented their Auburn legacy with fantastic performances in an otherwise lost season, helping create optimism around the program as it transitions into the Hugh Freeze era.

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Sun Belt’s leading rusher schedules visit to Auburn

Auburn’s quest to find its next start running back begins with ULM’s Ahmad Hardy.

Auburn football is out to find its next premier running back and will dip into the Sun Belt Conference to begin its journey.

According to Jeffrey Lee of Auburn Live, Auburn will host ULM running back [autotag]Ahmad Hardy[/autotag] for a visit next Monday. Hardy entered the transfer portal after a stellar freshman season at ULM, where he rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns on 237 carries.

Auburn running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] departs the program after rushing for 3,371 yards and 25 touchdowns, and the Tigers will look to re-shape the running backs room without his presence. [autotag]Damari Alston[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeremiah Cobb[/autotag] return as scholarship running backs and Alvin Henderson will join the roster as a true freshman ahead of the 2025 season. [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] will look to add a running back through the transfer portal to bring their scholarship total to four.

Hardy will be a solid addition to the rotation should he commit to Auburn. Hardy set the Sun Belt world on fire last season as his 1,351 rushing yards led the conference, while his 13 rushing touchdowns tied him with South Alabama’s Fluff Bothwell for the conference lead.

He rushed for over 200 yards in two games for the Warhawks in 2024 while rushing for over 100 yards in six additional games. According to Pro Football Focus, Hardy recorded 34 rushes of 10+ yards, and 63 of his touches resulted in ULM first downs. He gained 1,034 yards after initial contact and forced 96 missed tackles.

Auburn is not the only Power Four program that is interested in Hardy’s services. Ole Miss, Michigan, Kentucky, and Oklahoma are just a few programs that have contacted Hardy in the transfer portal’s early stages.

Jarquez Hunter accepts invite from Senior Bowl

After rushing for 3,371 yards and 25 touchdowns throughout his Auburn career, Hunter will lace up his cleats one final time in February.

[autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] played his final game in an Auburn uniform last Saturday in the Tigers’ 28-14 loss to rival Alabama in Tuscaloosa. However, the Auburn running back recently accepted an opportunity to lace up his cleats one final time as a collegiate athlete.

On Monday, it was announced that Hunter had accepted an invite to compete in the Reese’s Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. This would give him one final chance to showcase his skills in front of NFL scouts ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.

Hunter had a stellar four-year career at Auburn, ending his time on the Plains with 3,371 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. His first two seasons saw him complement [autotag]Tank Bigsby[/autotag] by rushing for 1,261 yards and ten touchdowns during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In 2023, he took over as the premier back where he added 2,110 yards along with 15 touchdowns to add to his career total. In 2024, he reached the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career by rushing for 1,201 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.

Hunter joins linebacker [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] as Tigers who have accepted Senior Bowl invites. The Senior Bowl will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 1:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on NFL Network.

In photos: Alabama defeats Auburn in 89th Iron Bowl

Here are the best photos from No. 13 Alabama’s 28-14 win over Auburn on Saturday.

Auburn football fell to the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, 28-14.

The visiting Tigers stayed close to Alabama in the yards department, being out-gained 457-399. Quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] passed for 301 yards and a touchdown in the loss, but two late interceptions, including one on a trick play by running back [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag], killed Auburn’s hopes of erasing the 14-point deficit in the final quarter of play.

Third down was an issue for Auburn on Saturday, as they converted just 4-of-12 opportunities. Considering that Auburn recovered three Alabama fumbles and picked off Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe once, the lack of being able to take advantage of extra opportunities on offense hurt the Tigers’ chances to pull off an upset win.

Here are the best images from Auburn’s loss to Alabama on Saturday.

A pair of Tigers earn SEC Player of the Week honors

Senior running back Jarquez Hunter and freshman Cam Coleman earned individual accolades after Auburn’s upset victory

A pair of Auburn seniors took home SEC Player of the Week honors following the Tigers thrilling 4OT victory over the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday.

Senior running back Jarquez Hunter earned his second conference Offensive Player of the Week of the season after win. Although his stats were not as eye popping as the career-best 278 rushing yard total he accumulated against Kentucky the first time he won the award in 2024, Hunter’s impact on Auburn’s senior night victory was undoubtedly worthy of the honor.

The best running back to touch down on the Plains in quite some time, Hunter rushed for 130 yards and a trio of touchdowns to propel the Tigers to 43 points. The Philadelphia, MS native now has 1,145 yards and 8 touchdowns this season heading into the final game of the year against Alabama on Saturday. Hunter is now 162 yards away from entering the top 10 single-season rushing ranks in Auburn history. An upset victory on Saturday would give him an opportunity to not only enter the top 10, but possibly the top 6, where he needs 246 yards to usurp Kerryon Johnson (2016) and Brent Fullwood (1986) on the all-time list.

Auburn’s running game was not the only part of the offense that sizzled on Saturday. Freshman Cam Coleman, who led the contest with 7 receptions, 128 yards, and 2 touchdowns, earned himself SEC Freshman of the Week honors with the massive day. Coleman has now found the end zone 5 times over his two games and 7 times this season. If he were to keep up that pace over the required 3 seasons he needs to play on the Plains, Coleman would finish among all-time leaders in receiving touchdowns in Auburn history.

The pair of individual honors along with Auburn’s biggest team win of the season give Hugh Freeze’s squad plenty of momentum heading into another important Iron Bowl on Saturday. If Hunter, Coleman, and the Tigers can earn a second-straight upset victory, the team would clinch a second-consecutive bowl game in the Hugh Freeze era.

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Instant analysis: Auburn takes down No. 14 Texas A&M in 4 OT thriller

Auburn’s postseason dreams remain alive after a thrilling victory over the No. 14 Aggies on Saturday night.

What started as a magical night on the Plains nearly ended in disaster.

The home-standing Auburn Tigers jumped out to an early 21-0 in its game with No. 14 Texas A&M on Saturday. However, Texas A&M outscored Auburn, 24-10 over the final 30 minutes to force overtime. The Tigers continued to play with purpose through the overtime period, which led to a 43-41 win on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.

Both teams traded touchdowns and field goals in the first two overtime periods before missing their respective “two-point attempts” in the third stanza. The ultimate decider was a pass from Auburn quarterback [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag] to receiver [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] in the fourth overtime period. The pass, along with a failed reverse pass from Texas A&M, led the Tigers to victory.

Texas A&M trailed 21-7 at halftime, but scored two touchdowns in 7:09 of game time to tie the game at 21-21. Auburn regained control of the game briefly thanks to a one-yard touchdown run by [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] with 2:27 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Momentum was shortlived as the Aggies scored 10 unanswered points to take a 31-28 lead with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. Auburn kicker [autotag]Ian Vachon[/autotag] sent the game to overtime by connecting on a 29-yard field goal with 0:05 remaining in the 4th quarter.

Auburn held a slight advantage in overall yards, 469-463, and scored in four of its five red zone trips on Saturday. The Tigers achieved those goals despite having the football 13 minutes less than Texas A&M, and running 15 fewer offensive plays. Thorne completed 19 passes to seven different receivers for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Lambert-Smith and [autotag]Cam Coleman[/autotag] each had over 100 yards in receptions while [autotag]Jarquez Hunter[/autotag] rushed for 130 yards and three scores on 28 attempts.

Auburn quickly gained control of the game by scoring on its first three drives. Jarquez Hunter capped the opening drive by scoring on a two-yard rush at the 11:22 mark in the 1st quarter to push Auburn ahead, 7-0.

The next two touchdowns were by-products of a great connection formed between quarterback Payton Thorne and wide receiver Cam Coleman. One week after connecting on eight passes for 100 yards and three touchdowns in Auburn’s win over ULM, the duo paired up again for four passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns. The scores of 63 and 15 yards, respectively, put Auburn ahead 21-0 early in the 2nd quarter.

Texas A&M added one score at the 4:13 mark in the 2nd quarter on a one-yard rush by Terry Bussey to cut Auburn’s lead to 21-7 at halftime.

It did not take long for the Aggies to bounce back, as it took 7:09 of game time to tie the game. Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and wide receiver Noah Thomas connected twice in the early stages of the second half on passes of 14 and 73 yards to tie the game at 21-21 with 7:51 remaining in the quarter.

Auburn’s regular season concludes next Saturday when it travels to Tuscaloosa to face the No. 15 Alabama for the 89th Iron Bowl. Kickoff from Bryant-Denny Stadium is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted live on ABC.