AUBURN, Ala. – The SEC’s leading returning rusher, Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter has been named to the 2024 preseason Media Days All-SEC First-Team, the Southeastern Conference announced Friday.
As a junior in 2023, Hunter gained 909 rushing yards on 159 carries, an average of 5.7 yards per carry. In three seasons on the Plains, Hunter has rushed for 2,170 yards and 17 touchdowns, adding 403 career receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Auburn’s Alex McPherson earned two preseason honors, making the First-Team as kickoff specialist and Third-Team as a placekicker. As a freshman in 2023, McPherson did not miss a kick, going 13-for-13 on field goals and 40-for-40 on extra points.
Linebacker Eugene Asante was named to the Third-Team after leading Auburn with 86 tackles last season. Defensive back Keionte Scott also earned Third-Team honors as a return specialist after leading the SEC in punt return average with 14.8 yards per return.
Reporters at SEC Media Days picked Auburn to finish 10th in the 16-team conference, which is competing without divisions this season after adding new members Texas and Oklahoma.
Preseason All-SEC Media Team 🦅
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) July 19, 2024
💨 @jarquezhunter
🎯 @AlexMc83
💥 @AsanteAssassin
⚡️ @KeionteS pic.twitter.com/zPyOeTu1K8
2024 PRESEASON MEDIA DAYS ALL-SEC TEAM
OFFENSE
First-Team
QB – Carson Beck, UGA
RB - Trevor Etienne, UGA
RB – Jarquez Hunter, AU
WR - Luther Burden III, MIZ
WR - Tre Harris, UM
TE - Caden Prieskorn, UM
OL - Tyler Booker, UA
OL - Will Campbell, LSU
OL - Kelvin Banks Jr., TEX
OL - Tate Ratledge, UGA
C - Cooper Mays, UT
Second-Team
QB – Quinn Ewers, TEX
RB - Raheim Sanders, SC
*RB - CJ Baxter, TEX
*RB - Montrell Johnson Jr., UF
WR - Isaiah Bond, TEX
WR - Kyren Lacy, LSU
TE - Mason Taylor, LSU
OL - Emery Jones, LSU
OL - Kadyn Proctor, UA
OL - Xavier Truss, UGA
OL - Dylan Fairchild, UGA
C - Parker Brailsford, UA
Third-Team
QB – Jalen Milroe, UA
RB - Justice Haynes, UA
RB - Ulysses Bentley, UM
WR - Deion Burks, OU
WR - Dominic Lovett, UGA
TE - Oscar Delp, UGA
OL - Earnest Greene III, UGA
OL - Marques Cox, UK
OL - Trey Zuhn III, TAMU
OL - Jaeden Roberts, UA
C - Jake Majors, TEX
DEFENSE
First-Team
DL - James Pearce Jr., UT
DL - Walter Nolen, UM
DL - Deone Walker, UK
DL - Nazir Stackhouse, UGA
LB - Harold Perkins, LSU
LB - Danny Stutsman, OU
*LB - Deontae Lawson, UA
*LB - Mykel Williams, UGA
DB - Malaki Starks, UGA
DB - Malachi Moore, UA
DB - Billy Bowman, OU
DB - Maxwell Hairston, UK
Second-Team
DL - Shemar Turner, TAMU
DL - Landon Jackson, ARK
DL - Nic Scourton, TAMU
*DL - Tim Smith, UA
*DL - Jared Ivey, UM
LB - Debo Williams, SC
LB - Anthony Hill Jr., TEX
LB - Smael Mondon Jr., UGA
DB - Jahdae Barron, TEX
DB - Major Burns, LSU
DB - Andrew Mukuba, TEX
DB - Malik Muhammad, TEX
Third-Team
DL - Tim Keenan III, UA
DL - Princely Umanmielen , UM
DL - Trey Moore, TEX
DL - Tonka Hemingway, SC
LB - Jamon "Pop" Dumas-Johnson, UK
LB - Jihaad Campbell, UA
LB - Eugene Asante, AU
DB - Domani Jackson, UA
DB - Daylen Everette, UGA
DB - Jason Marshall Jr., UF
*DB - Keon Sabb, UA
*DB - Nick Emmanwori, SC
SPECIALISTS
First-Team
P - James Burnip, UA
PK - Bert Auburn, TEX
LS - Kneeland Hibbett, UA
KS – Alex McPherson, AU
RS - Barion Brown, UK
AP - Zavion Thomas, LSU
Second-Team
P - Brett Thorson, UGA
PK - Graham Nicholson, UA
LS – Hunter Rogers, SC
KS - Will Stone, TEX
RS - Zavion Thomas, LSU
AP - Dillion Bell, UGA
Third-Team
P - Jeremy Crawshaw, UF
PK - Alex McPherson, AU
LS - Slade Roy, LSU
KS – Trey Smack, UF
RS - Keionte Scott, AU
*AP - Barion Brown, UK
*AP - Jaydon Blue, TEX
* - Indicates a tie
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer