The Las Vegas Raiders made a bold, throwback move on Thursday night, selecting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Making him the highest-drafted RB since Saquon Barkley in 2018.
From the blue turf to the desert, Jeanty is expected to become the new face of the Raiders’ backfield and the centerpiece of a reimagined offense under head coach Pete Carroll and new GM John Spytek.
The pick didn’t come as a shock to anyone who’d been following the tea leaves. Carroll’s historical love for physical, punishing run games and Spytek’s own public admiration, backed by a now-infamous quote from his son threatening to “walk out of the family” if Jeanty wasn’t picked, made it clear the Boise State star was firmly on the Raiders’ radar.
“There was no way they weren’t picking me,” Jeanty said with a smile. “I’m super duper excited. There’s a lot of history in that Raiders building, and I’m ready to be part of it.”
Las Vegas is betting on Jeanty to fix a broken rushing attack that finished dead last in the NFL in 2024. With Josh Jacobs gone to Green Bay the Raiders limped to just 1,357 total rushing yards, while Jeanty alone racked up 2,601 yards in his final college season.
A two-time All-American and winner of both the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award in 2024, Jeanty enters the league as a dynamic and compact powerhouse. At 5-foot-8 and 211 pounds, he brings a bruising yet elusive running style that has sparked comparisons to LaDainian Tomlinson, Barry Sanders and Alvin Kamara.
He doesn’t have blazing straight-line speed, but he doesn’t need it. Jeanty’s game is built on vision, balance and an ability to make defenders miss in the tightest spaces. His highlight reel features countless broken ankles and mistimed tackles, he’s a nightmare in space and a magnet for big plays.
Jeanty’s college production is staggering: 4,769 rushing yards, 50 rushing touchdowns and 862 receiving yards with six more scores through the air. He fell just 27 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ legendary single-season rushing record. His only real red flag? Ball security. He had nine fumbles over the last two years, something the Raiders’ coaching staff will be eager to clean up.
The move bucks recent NFL draft trends, with many teams shying away from taking running backs early. But with Barkley’s resurgent 2024 for the champion Eagles and a strong RB class entering the league, the narrative may be shifting again and the Raiders are leading the charge.
Las Vegas hasn’t had a winning season in three years. They’ve lacked identity, consistency and offensive firepower. Jeanty could change all of that.
