The Las Vegas Raiders are betting big on rookie running back Ashton Jeanty—and so far, it looks like a smart investment.
After selecting Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders are already seeing the traits that made him the 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up. Head coach Pete Carroll didn’t hold back his praise when discussing the Boise State product’s first few weeks in silver and black.
“[Ashton Jeanty has been] doing great,” Carroll said via NBC Sports. “He’s right on point with everything that we’re doing, studying really hard. He’s been really diligent about all aspects. There’s nothing that he doesn’t find important.”
Las Vegas Raiders Talk Room For Growth: “We’ll see if he can contribute in that kind of role as well.”
As with all rookies there is still a learning curve and Carroll addressed Jeanty’s focus.
“He’s going to work hard on his pass protection, the third-down type of work, see if he can contribute in that kind of role as well.”
That said, the Raiders are putting him through the paces to get him up to speed, “So, we’re not holding anything back on him. He’s getting a lot of plays. I think he had the most plays for a running back yet on Monday. I don’t know what the number was today, but it’s there. So, he’s getting a lot of turns.”
Jeanty, who went viral recently for revealing that offensive coordinator Chip Kelly asked him to fix his signature “Michael Myers” backfield stance, is already embracing the professional grind. And with Las Vegas fielding one of the NFL’s worst rushing offenses in 2024, his arrival couldn’t come at a better time.
While veterans like Raheem Mostert, Sincere McCormick, and Zamir White remain in the mix, the backfield appears to be Jeanty’s to command. ESPN has already projected him to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie.
Jeanty joins quarterback Geno Smith and receiver Jack Bech as key new faces in what looks like a dramatically revamped Raiders offense. If his early work ethic is any indication, the Raiders may have found the offensive cornerstone they’ve been missing.
As Carroll put it, “He’s right where we want him”—and if that continues, Jeanty could be the spark that turns the Raiders’ fortunes around in 2025.