The Las Vegas Raiders took a gamble last offseason when they let star running back Josh Jacobs leave the building. After a two-year contract-related saga, the two parties finally parted ways despite him leading the league in rushing in 2022. Jacobs departed as a franchise legend, but what he left in his wake was complete ineptitude in the backfield.
His replacement, Zamir White, averaged an abysmal 2.8 yards per carry last season and ended up missing half of the year with an injury. General manager Tom Telesco also swung and missed on the free agent market, bringing in Alexander Mattison, who barely eclipsed 400 rushing yards in his lone season with the franchise.
Las Vegas' consolation prize for such a brutal season on offense is that they have the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last season, has been heavily linked to the Raiders during the pre-draft process.
Josh Jacobs just made it impossible for Raiders to pass on Ashton Jeanty
While it is unknown if Jeanty will even be available when the Raiders are on the clock, Jacobs sat down with NFL Network and shared his thoughts on the young running back. The former Las Vegas star is not making things any easier for Raiders fans if they don't land the Boise State product.
"He's phenomenal, man; he's going to be a guy in this league," said Jacobs. "I think he's gonna have success early, no matter what team he goes to, honestly. ... When you come in, you should hit the ground running. Especially for a guy that's elite like him. I think he's gonna do fine."
Jacobs enjoyed tons of success for the Raiders as a young running back in this league, so he can attest to his talents better than almost anyone. The position may be deep in this year's draft class, but someone needs to snag the cream of the crop at running back, and many think it should be Las Vegas.
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Unfortunately, the Jacksonville Jaguars became the frontrunners for Jeanty with just under 24 hours until the draft began. All offseason, they had been linked to a wide receiver or lineman with the pick, but new head coach Liam Coen and general manager James Gladstone now seem fixated on the Boise State product.
If Las Vegas misses out on Jeanty, they'll have to focus their attention on the middle rounds for a starting-caliber running back. White proved that he is not up to the task last season, and both Raheem Mostert and Sincere McCormick come with various question marks.
The NFL Draft will certainly unfold in an unpredictable way, as it does each year. However, Jacobs' strong support for Jeanty reinforces the idea that the Raiders cannot afford to miss out on this prospect.