SLEEPER ALERT: Jarquez Hunter Could Be the Draft Steal the Broncos Can’t Afford to Miss

The Denver Broncos need a running back. That was true even before the team's starter departed in free agency.

It's now become a mega-need for the Broncos, which is why GM George Paton recently declared that the team "will" draft a running back. It's also why some draftniks, including our Erick Trickel, are forecasting two backs drafted to the Broncos.

Perhaps one early, one later. As one of the later options — as in early Day 3 (maybe even late Day 2) — Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter rises to the top. The 5-foot-9, 204-pound Hunter ran a 4.44-second 40 at the NFL Combine, and he's coming off a 1,200-yard rushing season with eight touchdowns for the Tigers.

Hunter averaged a very healthy 6.4 yards per carry in the SEC. And finished as an All-SEC first-teamer in 2024. He won't turn 23 until December.

Hunter is a three-down back, and while his receiving chops are underdeveloped, there's a foundation there for a team like the Broncos to build on. I saw it myself, in person, at the Senior Bowl in January.

Watching Hunter for three days among a talented group of American and National Team running backs, he stood out. A smooth athlete with ridiculous balance, he simply does everything well. It's hard to find a flaw in his game.

So why is Hunter the 17th-ranked running back on the 2025 Consensus Big Board? That's an answer I've been seeking since I left Mobile, AL, two months ago. I'm still not sure.

For example, examine this crop of statistics via Pick 6 Media's Dominic West. It showcases the top five college running backs in three crucial categories: yards after contact, explosive run percentage, and tackles eluded.

The consensus No. 1 running back, Ashton Jeanty, graces two of the three top-five categories, as does Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson, Virginia Tech's Bhayshul Tuten, and UCF's RJ Harvey. But only one running back ranked in the top five of all three categories.

Jarquez Hunter.

Hunter averaged 3.94 yards after contact, ranking fourth, posted an 18.9% explosive-run percentage, ranking second, and an eluded-tackle percentage of 32.3%. What does this tell us?

Hunter does not go down on first contact and will fight for the extra yards, and win. His explosiveness is wildly underrated, and, corresponding to the first category, he's really hard to tackle.

Again I ask: why is Hunter viewed as an early Day 3 pick?

I'm still scratching my head. But when I was at the Senior Bowl, a long-time Auburn insider shared with me his expectation for Hunter. "He'll get drafted in the fifth round and play 15 years in the NFL."

Do you know how hard it is for a running back to stick in the NFL beyond even two years? A back will rarely make it to the 10-year mark, let alone play for 15 years.

Obviously, this fella was being a bit hyperbolic, but his point is a salient one. Hunter is the type of back that teams may undervalue as a prospect, but when he gets to the league via whichever round, he'll have a considerable staying power that'll serve him well.

The Broncos should absolutely be one of those teams that sees the complete picture on Hunter. I may not know why media big boards are sleeping on Hunter, but the Broncos are in the league and have the resources to recognize a talent like him.

Currently projected to be a fifth-round pick by the Mock Draft Database, it wouldn't surprise me to see Hunter end up hearing his name called much earlier. If I'm in the War Room at Broncos HQ, and he's still on the board in the fourth round, I'm not taking any chances. I'm pulling the trigger on Hunter, knowing that the Broncos don't have a fifth-round pick this year.

The cool thing about Hunter is that he can be part of a drafted running back duo. He's a do-it-all back, but the Broncos could draft more of a flashy back like, say, a Henderson or Tennessee's Dylan Sampson in Round 2 or 3, and double-dip with Hunter in Round 4. Hunter would make for one heck of a hedge.

But even if Hunter were the only running back the Broncos came out of the draft with, the offense would be getting a massive upgrade and infusion in talent. We'll see how it shakes out when the draft finally gets here on April 24 and what the football fates hold for Hunter and the Broncos.