No. 6 Pick Ashton Jeanty Will Be A ‘Foundational Piece’ Of Raiders’ New Offense

by Katherine ManzApril 28, 2025, 1:55 pmNews >

The Las Vegas Raiders selected running back Ash ton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday. It wasn’t a surprising selection.

A running back going in the top ten is uncommon, particularly in recent years, as their relative positional value has declined. When the Atlanta Falcons selected Bijan Robinson eighth overall in 2023, the fan reaction was excitement mixed with skepticism. Why, then, was it so certain that Jeanty would go two spots earlier?

Well, for one, new Raiders general manager John Spytek‘s son warned him he would “walk out of the family” if the team didn’t take Jeanty.

It was a joking comment, but it represents how special Jeanty is as a player. In three years at Boise State, Jeanty put up 4,769 rushing yards, including a massive 2,601 in 2024, where he also rushed for 29 touchdowns. And it wasn’t about the quality of his opponents, either; Jeanty gashed then-first-ranked Oregon for 192 yards and three touchdowns in September. If you’re on social media at all, you’ve seen the seemingly endless compilations of Jeanty breaking tackles – he just doesn’t seem to go down.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

At Boise State, Jeanty demonstrated that he could carry an offense. The Broncos went 12-2, including 7-0 in conference, and made the playoffs.

Now, as a rookie in an offense that also features pieces like Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, Jeanty won’t have to do quite as much heavy lifting. Still, at No. 6, the Raiders will expect him to start Week 1.

“[Jeanty’s] ability to make plays when it doesn’t look like there’s [anything] there, Marshawn did that throughout his career,” said new head coach Pete Carroll. “There’s a special makeup in Ashton.”

“I’m always looking for special qualities, unique things that they’re able to do with their vision, body control, toughness and speed. [Jeanty] is not a guy that’s going to just run into the wall. He’s going to find his way for the most space available with his marvelous creativity.”

The Raiders, who averaged a league-low 3.6 yards per rush last season, have revamped their offense, from the head coach to the general manager to the quarterback. Mark Davis, the team’s owner, emphasized their “win-now” mentality.

As far as revamping the running game goes, Jeanty isn’t a bad place to start.