Jarquez Hunter, Auburn running back, has won the prestigious Maxwell Award for Excellence and Exceptional Contribution to the Game. …

Jarquez Hunter was one of 80 players who earned a spot on the preseason watch list for the 88th Maxwell Award, presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday.

Hunter, a senior from Philadelphia, Mississippi, is coming off a career year at Auburn where he finished with 909 yards rushing, 118 yards receiving and seven total touchdowns. His 5.72 yards per carry ranked seventh in the SEC, and during the Tigers’ three-game SEC winning streak last year, he averaged 145.3 rushing yards per game.

Heading into 2024, Hunter ranks 18th all-time at Auburn with 2,172 career rushing yards. He also has 17 career rushing touchdowns in three seasons on the Plains.

The Tigers have now had a player make the Maxwell Award watch list six times over the last five years. Quarterback Bo Nix (2020, 2021) and running back Tank Bigsby (2021, 2022) both made the watch list two different years, and wide receiver Seth Williams was on the list in 2020.

The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, with several senior PFF analysts are members of our selection committee. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Nov. 12, while the three finalists for the award will be unveiled Nov. 26. The winners of the 88th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 12.

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Ivy Rehab, SAFR, the ETC Foundation and the Run Around Inc. To learn more about our story visit