A Fresh Start for the Silver and Black
Five feet, 8 inches and 211 pounds of dynamite and dazzle. Ashton Jeanty now bears the responsibility of reviving the Las Vegas Raiders’ dismal running game, which ranked dead last in the NFL.
As the franchise works to rebound from a painful 4-13 campaign, Jeanty symbolizes hope for a turnaround. More than just a fix for the ground game, his arrival signals the beginning of what the Raiders hope will be a complete renaissance.
High Hopes for a High Draft Pick
Jeanty, the jewel of the Raiders’ 2025 draft class, is still four months away from making his NFL debut. Yet the groundwork for transformation is already being laid, even if it’s just the beginning.
“It’s a new brotherhood. We’re all welcoming each other, getting to know each other,” Jeanty said Friday, via the Raiders team website’s Levi Edwards. “Pete Carroll was saying it yesterday, we’ve all got to be connected and build relationships, and that’s going to make us a better team and teammates.”
The Raiders’ last season was plagued with setbacks, finishing at the bottom of the AFC West and missing the playoffs for the third consecutive year, their seventh miss in eight seasons. Among the key issues: a 32nd-ranked rushing attack that amassed just 1,357 yards. A number topped by five individual NFL running backs in 2025.
Filling a Void Left Behind
One of those not surpassing that total was former Raiders star Josh Jacobs. Now with the Green Bay Packers, Jacobs logged 1,329 rushing yards. Only 28 yards fewer than the entire Raiders team after he left in free agency.
To address this glaring weakness, the new leadership duo of head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek used their first-round pick on Jeanty: the franchise’s first RB taken in Round 1 since Jacobs in 2019.
Selected sixth overall, Jeanty was the highest-drafted Raiders running back since Darren McFadden went fourth overall in 2008.
Record-Breaking Talent from Boise State
Jeanty enters the NFL with a dominant college résumé. At Boise State, he led the nation in rushing in consecutive seasons. His 2024 performance included an eye-popping 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns: numbers that made scouts and fans alike take notice.
Now, as he begins his NFL journey at Raiders rookie camp, Jeanty is embracing the moment. “I’m just blessed to be here, I’m happy to continue going through this process and learn,” he said.
“I’m one day in so I don’t have too much of an impression yet, but I’m just going to keep doing everything I can and just try to keep learning as much as I can.”
A Draft Class Ready to Contribute
Jeanty headlines an 11-player Raiders draft class that could see several other rookies make an impact. Wide receivers Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr., receiver/returner Tommy Mellott, cornerback Darien Porter, and offensive linemen Charles Grant and Caleb Rogers all have the potential to contribute in 2025.
Together, with their coaches and fellow draftees, they represent a shift in culture and ambition. From Jeanty’s humility to Spytek’s vision and Carroll’s leadership, the Raiders are banking on a new era.
Brotherhood and Beginnings
Though it’s still early in the offseason, signs of unity and rebuilding are already emerging at rookie camp. Though it’s just the spring, they’re hoping the building of “a new brotherhood” got underway Friday.
