The Las Vegas Raiders are investing a lot in Ashton Jeanty. Not only did they use the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on the generational running back prospect from Boise State, but they will lean on him heavily as the featured back in Las Vegas during his rookie season.
Pete Carroll has said that he will use multiple running backs, and players like Raheem Mostert, Sincere McCormick and Zamir White have all drawn praise this offseason. But make no mistake, Jeanty is the Raiders' workhorse back, and his success will dictate how the offense performs.
One thing that will not dictate how the offense performs, however, is Jeanty's rating in EA Sports' Madden NFL 26. This number ultimately has no real meaning outside the video game, but the rookie ratings were released on Wednesday, and Jeanty got some nice recognition from an outside source.
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty earns 83 overall rating in Madden NFL 26
In a video reveal with New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston, Jeanty learned that he was rated an 81 in Madden NFL 26. A later post by EA Sports revealed, however, that Jeanty was actually an 83 overall, second in the rookie class behind Travis Hunter.
This is where Raider Nation expected Jeanty to rank, somewhere in the low 80s and just behind a player like Travis Hunter. It was a pleasant surprise to see him ranked ahead of players like Abdul Carter, Mason Graham and Will Campbell, all of whom were selected ahead of Jeanty in April.
Jeanty's initial rookie rating is higher than Brock Bowers' was a year ago. The star tight end, who was taken No. 13 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, earned a rating of 78 in Madden 25. Of course, his rating rose to an 88, but Jeanty is off to a better start.
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As far as the rest of the Raiders' rookie class, Darien Porter and Jack Bech sit just behind Jeanty with ratings of 74 and 73, respectively. Third-round linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant earned ratings of 71 and 70, and fourth-round receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. is a 68 overall with 96 speed.
Jah Joyner leads the way for the undrafted crew with a rating of 63. He is ahead of draft picks like linebacker Cody Lindenberg and wide receiver Tommy Mellott, who are both a 62 overall, and quarterback Cam Miller, who is just a 60 overall.
Madden NFL 26 will be released on August 14, just under a month before the 2025 NFL season. It should not shock anyone to see the Raiders' rookie class exceed these ratings and force EA's hand to change them before too long.