The Las Vegas Raiders had been fixated on running back Ashton Jeanty throughout the pre-draft process. So much so, in fact, that John Spytek was the only general manager who attended his Boise State pro day.
However, the NFL Draft rumor mill was cruel to the Silver and Black in the days leading up to the event. After weeks of being linked to Las Vegas, nearly every report began confirming that either the Jacksonville Jaguars or Chicago Bears were going to take Jeanty with the No. 5 pick.
As we know now, the Jaguars made an aggressive move up the board for Travis Hunter, and the Bears were unable to leapfrog the Raiders for his talents. Ashton Jeanty is a Raider, at long last.
Expert believes Ashton Jeanty was biggest slam dunk of the 2025 NFL Draft
Raider Nation, by and large, was ecstatic with the pick as two years in a row they landed a blue-chip player at an offensive skill position. NFL.com's Chad Reuter agreed with this sentiment, giving Las Vegas the highest overall grade for their selection in Round 1.
Grade: A+
"Jeanty's combination of power through contact, vision, patience and stamina made him one of the top talents in the draft," Reuter wrote. "The Raiders clearly missed having Josh Jacobs in the backfield last year, but Jeanty will be able to make defenses pay as a runner and receiver."
This grade confirmed what much of the fan base already knew, but the Raiders rarely get any love from the national press. Jeanty is a player who will not only help the team on the field, but he can also return Las Vegas to prominence in the media.
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While fans certainly need to be careful anointing Jeanty before he has ever played a down, his resume in college would indicate that he is a surefire star in the NFL.
Jeanty had videogame-like numbers at Boise State, totaling 2,061 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns during his final season. He also contributed 138 receiving yards and one touchdown through the air en route to second place in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Anticipation to watch a rookie in the Silver and Black has not been this high since Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack were drafted in consecutive years. While expectations are already lofty for the young running back, you'll be hard-pressed to find a Raiders fan who does not think he can exceed them.