The Raiders snagged the top running back in the draft, Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State, in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders have made their pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, taking running back Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State. Jeanty is the top back in the class and fills a need for the Raiders. Here’s everything you need to know about him.
Stats & Accolades
- 2022: Played in 14 games with 2 starts. (821 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns, 5.3 YPC)
- 2023: Played in 12 games with 10 starts. Second-Team Associated Press All-American. Mountain West Conference Player of the Year. First-Team All-MWC. (1,347 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns, 6.1 YPC)
- 2024: Started 14 games. First-Team Associated Press All-American. Mountain West Player of the Year. First-Team All-MWC. Doak Walker Award winner (nation’s top RB). Finished second in Heisman Trophy voting. (2,601 rushing yards, 29 touchdowns, 7.0 YPC)
What the Raiders are getting:
There’s not an extra yard Jeanty won’t find on any given run. Like any elite running back, Jeanty has the vision to find his lane fast and hit them with authority. Where he impresses the most is an almost Superman-like ability to take an immense amount of contact while staying on his feet. The way he creates space to run where there simply isn’t any is magical to watch. If there’s an ounce of daylight, he’ll explode through it to the bewilderment of the defense. That’s all before erasing whatever pursuit angle that any defender had, as well. Jeanty will enter the NFL with a ton of tread on his tires, but a team would be foolish to let that keep them from adding a rare rushing threat to their roster.
Strengths
- Elite contact balance to the point he may as well be Houdini with the way he escapes tackles
- Always knows where the cutback lane is
- Lower-body strength to drive through impossible creases in the defense
- Propensity for the big play with runs of 50+ yards in nine of 14 games
- Eye-popping burst when he hits the open field
- Patient behind his blockers and explodes when he finds green grass
Weaknesses
- An incredible amount of wear-and-tear on his wheels with 750 career carries, including 374 in 2024 alone
- Ball security became an issue when defenses began keying on him heavily
- Needs to tighten up punch placement in pass pro
Athletic Profile
- Height: 5’8 1/2
- Weight: 211 pounds
- 40-yard dash: N/A
- 10-yard split: N/A
- Vertical jump: N/A
- Broad jump: N/A
- Short shuttle: N/A
- 3-cone drill: N/A