Perhaps no team in the league addressed a position of need more in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft than the Las Vegas Raiders. After having an abysmal rushing attack that ranked dead-last in the league in yards per game last season, the team added generational running back prospect Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick.
At Boise State, he was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy award in 2024 after running for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. Despite the running back class being deep in this year's draft, someone had to get the cream of the crop, and the Raiders tabbed themselves with that honor.
Jeanty will immediately step into a starting role for the Silver and Black. He will be supplemented by some combination of Raheem Mostert, Sincere McCormick, Zamir White and Dylan Laube, but there is no doubt that he will be the workhorse back in Year 1.
The Ashton Jeanty hype is already off the charts at Raiders OTAs
Raider Nation finally got to see Jeanty on the field for Las Vegas when the team allowed select media to attend their OTA workout on Wednesday. After the practice was completed, coach Pete Carroll, tight end Brock Bowers and edge rusher Maxx Crosby all spoke to the media.
Each one of them was asked about Jeanty's progress thus far, and they all effusively praised the rookie running back.
"He's doing great, he really is," Carroll said. "He's right on point with everything that we're doing, he's studying really hard, he's been really dilligent about all aspects. There's nothing that he doesn't find important. ... We're not holding anything back on him."
Carroll has certainly seen his share of elite running back talents in his day, so for him to immediately praise Jeanty means that the young ball carrier is doing everything right. Bowers is known to be reserved with the media, but even he gushed about his newest teammate.
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"He's a beast," Bowers said. "He's a beast out there, you know? He's quick, he's fast, he's rocked up, he's thick, so he's pretty good."
While Bowers is more reserved, Crosby has made it a point to be honest with team reporters over the years. In his honest assessment, even he could not find anything but positive things to say about Jeanty.
"He's been awesome, you know, Ashton's a great kid," Crosby said. "He's a great kid, humble kid. ... It's only been a couple of weeks with him but (I) love the kid. He's a hell of a worker, hell of a player, and (I'm) just excited to be teammates with him."
It will certainly be a while until Raider Nation gets to see Jeanty perform in a game that counts, but the amount of praise being heaped on the young player will have to do for now.