Auburn football RB commit J’Marion Burnette explains his decision

Auburn football running back Jarquez Hunter (27) breaks free and runs into the end zone for a touchdown as Auburn Tigers take on San Jose State Spartans at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. San Jose State Spartans lead Auburn Tigers 10-7 at halftime.
Auburn football running back Jarquez Hunter (27) breaks free and runs into the end zone for a touchdown as Auburn Tigers take on San Jose State Spartans at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. San Jose State Spartans lead Auburn Tigers 10-7 at halftime.

The Auburn football recruiting momentum continues to skyrocket, most recently with the commitment of 4-star in-state running back J’Marion Burnette, out of Andalusia, AL. The Tigers have consistently been known for their powerhouse running backs, and it seems that trend will continue into 2024.

Burnette announced his decision on social media this week, becoming the fourth member of the Tigers’ 2024 recruiting class. The RB only ever narrowed his recruitment down to the public in a list of his Top 10 back in November, and he ultimately chose Auburn over those nine programs including Georgia, Alabama, Penn State, and Tennessee, to name a few.

The running back, nicknamed Phat, spoke with Auburn Undercover about his reasons for choosing the Tigers, including his opinion that the new staff is creating a “winning culture” on the Plains. And, of course, the Auburn family played into his decision, too:

"“It’s because they make their recruits feel like family,” Burnette told Auburn Undercover. “It’s a great program, great coaching staff. Coach Caddy is amazing. He’s been going out of the way since Auburn first offered me a year ago. He’s just been keeping up with me nonstop.”"

With Cadillac Williams as your primary recruiter and position coach, who wouldn’t want to play for the Auburn football program? Burnette noted that he believes Coach Caddy can improve him as a player and ultimately get him to the NFL. He also plans to start recruiting other players to the Plains, including several in-state players already committed to Alabama and Georgia.

Burnette joins 4-star quarterback Walker White and 4-star cornerbacks Jayden Lewis and A’Mon Lane in Auburn football’s recruiting class of 2024 and is the second most highly-ranked commit. He is ranked as the #153 overall prospect and the #10 running back in the class of 2024 and is the #10 player out of the state of Alabama.