There is no debating that Boise State superstar Ashton Jeanty is the best running back prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. What we can debate, however, is where Jeanty will ultimately be drafted.
Years ago, Jeanty probably would’ve been a lock as a top-10 pick. But running back has been devalued in recent years and that has led teams to be hesitant to take one early in the draft.
Making things more murky, the running back group in this year’s class might be the best out of any position, so teams have the option to sit back and wait to grab their guy later in the draft.
Despite all that, The Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer believes Jeanty will be a top-10 pick, and the team to make him one will be the Las Vegas Raiders, who Iyer predicts will select Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick.
The Raiders seem to have fallen in love with Jeanty as the new feature back for Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly, as they have done little with their backfield, just signing Raheem Mostert. He can be a huge centerpiece as part of their positive offensive transition.
The Raiders sported the worst rushing attack in the NFL last season, partly because the blocking stunk, but also because the team didn’t have much talent at the position.
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And that remains the case right now. The signing of Raheem Mostert, who is set to turn 33, is hardly an adequate solution, and the jury is still very much out on Dylan Laube and Sincere McCormick. Zamir White is also on the roster, but after a disappointing 2024 season, he isn’t likely to get another shot.
Jeanty would immediately step into a starting role and rightly push all of those guys down one spot on the depth chart, which would make the room look a lot better. Jeanty is a strong and explosive runner who can also catch passes out of the backfield and hold his own in pass protection.
“Great organization,” Jeanty told reporters when asked about the Raiders recently. “They got a few pieces. I know they could use a running back. They got that nice pick No. 6 so we’ll see what happens.
“But it’s been great meeting with them, meeting with their running backs coach. It’s cool that he came all this way to meet with me.”
We’re not comparing Jeanty to Marshawn Lynch, but we know that head coach Pete Carroll likes to have a workhorse back to lead his offense, and Jeanty would also help take a ton of pressure off Geno Smith and the passing attack.
With so many needs to fill, we would prefer the Raiders to address another position of need and wait for a running back. However, it wouldn’t be at all shocking to see Las Vegas go with Jeanty in the first round.
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