AUBURN — Jarquez Hunter was named to the preseason all-conference first team at SEC Media Days last month, but he still thinks Auburn football's running backs aren't receiving enough attention.

"We’re shocked," Hunter said Friday at the Woltosz Football Performance Center. "That’s very disrespectful. I believe we’re one of the top running back rooms in the nation, or the best. We’re very underrated. We can do anything anybody else can do, or better."

Hunter's comments come after coach Hugh Freeze echoed similar sentiments at media days, citing the fact of Hunter being the SEC's leading returning rusher at 909 yards rushing in 2023. The group is rounded out by junior Damari Alston and sophomore Jeremiah Cobb. Juniors Sean Jackson and Justin Jones are in the mix, too, but the top three will likely get the vast majority of the position's reps.

"I love our running back room," Freeze said July 18. "I'm fine with nobody talking about them. I really am. Jarquez, Damari and Cobb, I think, are three really, really good backs."

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Hunter is about to begin his fourth season with the Tigers. He ranks No. 18 in yards rushing in program history (2,170). Playing behind standout Tank Bigsby for the first couple years of his career, Hunter has never received 20 or more carries in a single game.

He's also never broken the 1,000-yard marker for a season, something he'll try to change in 2024: "It’s definitely a goal that I’m looking for this year, to get that 1K," Hunter said.

Hunter (909), Alston (320) and Cobb (172) ran for over 1,400 yards last season and averaged 5.7, 5.0 and 5.2 yards per carry, respectively.

“I believe this year we’re going to be more downhill and more involved with the passing game with the running backs," Hunter said. "That’s what people in the next level want to see, if you can catch the ball.

"They know we can run the ball, they want to see if we can catch the ball, they want to see if we can pass protect. That’s the biggest thing I’ve got to work on this season, is pass protecting and catching the ball. Because anybody can run the football.”

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football RBs are among nation's best, Jarquez Hunter says