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A lot is riding on the shoulders of Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty. Many believe that Jeanty is destined for greatness in the NFL after Las Vegas selected him sixth overall in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. The former Boise State Broncos star tailback has confidence in himself, but he also knows how to manage the impact and influence of the immense expectations people have of him in the pros.
“I know there's expectations for me, and that's what you want,” Jeanty said (h/t Anthony Galaviz of The Fresno Bee).
“If there's no expectations, then you're not doing something right. I'm in my own bubble, just trying to get better each and every single day.”
Jeanty is used to the lofty standards people set for him, which he's mostly delivered on. During his time in college at Boise State, Jeanty burned rubber for a total of 4,769 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns on 750 carries in just 40 games across three seasons.
That checked out for an average of 6.4 rushing yards per game. Isolating his final two seasons with the Broncos, Jeanty produced 3,948 yards on the ground to go along with 43 touchdowns on 594 carries for an average of 6.6 yards per rushing attempt. He led the nation in 2024 with 2,601 rushing yards and 29 carries.
Jeanty's incredible college resume made him among the hottest 2025 NFL draft prospects, and it was Las Vegas that eventually landed the talented running back from Jacksonville, Florida.
The 21-year-old Jeanty did not have a fantastic NFL preseason debut, as he had a minus-1 rushing yard on three carries in a 23-23 tie with the Seattle Seahawks on the road on Aug. 7, but he performed better in the following contest. He rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown on seven carries to help the Raiders defeat the San Francisco 49ers at home, 22-19, last Saturday.
With the Raiders, Jeanty is envisioned as a weapon that will reinvigorate Las Vegas' ground attack. In 2024, the Raiders had an anemic rushing offense that clearly missed the services of an elite running back following the departure of Josh Jacobs. They finished last in the league last season with just 79.8 rushing yards per outing.
Alongside dual-threat quarterback Geno Smith, Jeanty should have a significant role in the expected transformation of the Raiders offense, which also generated only 18.2 points per outing, good for only 29th in the NFL.
