Ashton Jeanty Provides Instant Offense for the Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft

It turns out the chalk was right all along.

Despite recent rumblings that the Las Vegas Raiders were leaning into the trenches at No. 6 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the commonly mocked pick to shore up the running back spot was correct. Ashton Jeanty became a Raider on Thursday night.

Now after adding Geno Smith to Brock Bowers earlier this offseason, Las Vegas' scoring attack should be significantly improved in 2025. What makes Jeanty so special, and how does he impact the Raiders' outlook?

Why Ashton Jeanty Went So Early in the Draft

Following a 2023 campaign where he rushed for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns on 220 carries, Jeanty exploded for 2,601 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns on 374 rushing attempts in 2024. Therefore, it wasn't a surprise to see Jeanty emerge as the consensus No. 1 running back prospect early in the pre-draft process ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The surface numbers were certainly staggering for Jeanty in his final collegiate season, but the advanced metrics are why teams around the NFL fell in love with the Boise State Broncos product. Among college backs with 100-plus attempts in 2024, Jeanty tallied the most yards after contact per attempt (5.25), most missed tackles forced (152), and most runs of 10-plus yards (63), per PFF.

Having a running back that can generate explosive plays out of the backfield is invaluable in the NFL, and the position had quite a year last season with guys like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs excelling on new teams. Even though the idea of taking a running back early in the draft is a controversial decision, Jeanty was undoubtedly one of the best players available in this year's event.

What Should We Expect From Jeanty's Rookie Year?

Given the fact that Jeanty handled 397 touches in his final year at Boise State, there's nothing that suggests he won't receive a massive workload immediately in the NFL. Besides his elite traits as a runner, Jeanty proved he is more than capable of being a viable pass catcher, combining for 66 receptions, 707 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns in his final two seasons in college.

There could be concerns about whether or not Jeanty will produce positive results early in his pro career due to playing in the Mountain West Conference at Boise State. However, despite being the clear engine in Boise State's offense, Jeanty produced an absurd 16 missed tackles forced and 3 carries of 10-plus yards against an elite Penn State defense in the Fiesta Bowl during the college football playoffs.

Jeanty has flashed a skill set of being a home-run hitter that can be a weapon on all three downs, prompting many -- including myself -- to believe he's in store for a special rookie campaign in 2025.

The Raiders got an immediate answer at tailback. Jeanty (+340) is currently the slightest bit behind Cam Ward as the favorite for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year:

Of course, expect Jeanty -- with minimal competition in the backfield -- to be a potential first-round pick in fantasy football, too. His opportunity should be enormous. If Ward struggles at all, the inside track to the ROTY award should be his.

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