The Las Vegas Raiders may not have been in a position to do so by most people's calculations, but they splurged on a running back in the 2025 NFL Draft by taking Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick. After a rough start to the year, this selection has begun paying dividends for the Raiders.
After a Week 4 breakout against the Chicago Bears in which he totaled 155 all-purpose yards and three scores, Jeanty tacked on another strong performance against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. He's done this despite shaky offensive line play and Chip Kelly not always utilizing him properly.
In Week 6, Jeanty was set to face a Tennessee Titans defense that ranked among the worst teams in the league at defending the run. While he did not reach 100 all-purpose yards, he did record 86 total yards of offense and another touchdown on the ground on Sunday.
Geno Smith is noticing what the NFL sees in Ashton Jeanty
This may not have been the kind of production that the team or Jeanty wanted, but it was enough to pull out the win. Geno Smith spoke to the media after the 20-10 victory and paid Jeanty the ultimate compliment anyway.
"Great player. He's becoming a focal point for defenses," Smith said. "They know what he can do when he gets to the second level. I mean, he's running over guys, running past guys. He's great out of the back field and in the catching game, and he's also great in protection. (That was) a great draft pick. I think they did a great, phenomenal job with getting Ashton, and he's only going to get better. (He is) still a young player; still so many areas to improve. But every single week, he's showing you who he is."
Jeanty's gravity on the field is obvious, and it opens up space for other players to thrive. According to Pro Football Focus, he forced four missed tackles, adding to his previous total of 22, which was among the best in the league before the game.
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While Smith had already paid Jeanty the ultimate compliment by saying that he was becoming the focal point of opposing defenses' game plans, the veteran quarterback went into further depth about the kind of person and leader that Jeanty is growing into in Las Vegas already.
"Once we get (Number 2) in space, I mean, he's phenomenal. He's one of the best in the league with the ball in his hands," Smith said. "His confidence is growing every single week. He's becoming even more of a leader. He's picking me up when I get down at times, and just his overall demeanor. But the way that he plays the game, and then what he does in space, I mean, (he) is just phenomenal."
Raider Nation never had any real quarrels about drafting Jeanty at No. 6 overall, and general manager John Spytek already looks like a genius for the selection. Smith is obviously thankful to have a player like this by his side amid his struggles this season, so Jeanty just needs to keep doing what he is doing.