Although defying conventional wisdom hasn't done them much good over the last few decades, the Las Vegas Raiders did so again in the 2025 NFL Draft when they selected Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick. And on the surface, the positional value truthers appeared to have another victory.
But all one had to do was watch a single game, heck, even a series or a carry of Jeanty's during his rookie year and realize that the onus wasn't on him. Did he make his share of mistakes? Certainly, as all first-year players do. But the offensive line and overall situation weren't conducive to any success.
Klint Kubiak will be a godsend for the Raiders, but particularly for Jeanty in Year 2 of his NFL career. But while others are getting swept up in the hype around him, Jeanty himself is setting modest goals for the 2026 NFL season, which, coincidentally, start with an admission about his rookie campaign.
Las Vegas Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty opens up about rookie year while preparing for 2026
Jeanty fielded several fan questions on his YouTube page as he wrapped up the offseason. When asked about his goals for the upcoming fall, Jeanty began by opening up about his struggles in 2025 before segwaying into his new mindset and approach for the coming season.
"I think I was a little bit too in my head [as a rookie]. Feeling the pressure, feeling like I needed to prove something always," Jeanty said. "But I think this year just going out there, just having fun. Like, it's just football, you know? [I'm] not putting too much pressure on myself and just being the best teammate that I can be. Bringing the guys together more. Being the best version of myself so that I can make the team better. Through that, I'll accomplish all my personal goals. I'll be able to contribute to the team's success."
Wanting to prove yourself to a new batch of coaches and players at the next level is human nature, to an extent. Every youngster, no matter when or if they were drafted, should have that chip on their shoulder and a fire lit under them to prove the organization right for taking a chance on them.
However, a fine line exists between that and putting too much pressure on yourself. And it sounds like Jeanty was a little bit too tightly wound as a rookie. In a way, it is hard to blame him, as he literally had to do everything himself.
Geno Smith wasn't moving the ball down field in the passing game, Chip Kelly and Greg Olson weren't dialing up great plays or installing things well, and the offensive line wasn't paving lanes for him. Jeanty was on an island, which is a hard place to be in your inaugural NFL campaign.
Thankfully, Jeanty has fallen out of that mindset ahead of the 2026 season. Kubiak brings with him a great coaching staff, successful scheme and an air of credibility that Jeanty hasn't seen in the NFL before, so it should be much easier for him to get his work done now and in the future.
His goal of simply going out and having fun is refreshing, and it is good to know that Jeanty is already wanting to take on a leadership role and be a connector in the building. Even better is the fact that he's not caught up in individual glory, but has faith that his success will come if the team improves.
Last year was hard on everyone, but particularly on Jeanty, who was expected to come in and fix the run game single-handedly. But Kubiak won't ask him to do that, and Jeanty won't ask that of himself anymore. A fresh approach was needed for the Boise State product, and he's got one.
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