The Las Vegas Raiders selected Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. The franchise is hoping that the 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up can restore a running game that took a major step backward last season following the departure of All-Pro Josh Jacobs.
Las Vegas finished 28th in rushing touchdowns and dead last in rushing yards and yards per attempt in 2024. While Jeanty did not produce much in the preseason opener as he finished with -1 rushing yards on three carries, he bounced back in a major way in Week 2 with 33 yards and a touchdown.
Prior to the game, the rookie received a major stamp of approval from a Raiders legend. Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen, who played 11 years for the Silver and Black in Los Angeles, talked about Jeanty's similarities to Barry Sanders, but he also pumped the brakes when fully comparing the two.
Raiders Hall of Famer Marcus Allen talks Ashton Jeanty-Barry Sanders comparisons
The franchise's all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns spoke with Sean Zittel of Vegas Sports Today ahead of the Raiders' preseason matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. When asked who Jeanty reminds him of as a player, Allen provided the following response:
"He has a lot of the ability of Barry Sanders, but it would be unfair to put him in that category. But he has, certainly, the potential to put up those kind of numbers. He has a combination of great feet, power, speed and elusiveness, and he has great balance," Allen said. "Those are the things that Barry had, but Barry had a little extra maneuverability, if you will, but he's right along. It would be unfair to put anybody in that category. It's almost too much pressure, but in that direction of a Barry Sanders kind of running back."
Allen had a legendary 11-year career with the Silver and Black as he recorded 8,545 rushing yards and 79 touchdowns on 2,090 carries while adding 4,258 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns on 446 receptions. The tenth overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft was named Offensive Rookie of the Year before being named the Super Bowl MVP the following year.
He was named NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 1985 and remains the only player to be named NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP and win the Heisman Trophy, also having won a title at both levels. If anyone has the authority to speak on the running back position, particularly for the Raiders, it is Allen.
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Jeanty was linked to Sanders throughout the final season of his collegiate career as he attempted to chase the Hall of Famer down in the record books. The former Boise State star finished the 2024 season with 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 carries, adding 138 receiving yards and one touchdown on 23 receptions.
He finished with the second-most rushing yards and seventh-most rushing touchdowns in a single season, falling 27 yards and eight touchdowns short of Sanders' records set in his 1988 Heisman Trophy-winning campaign.
The Raiders are hopeful that Jeanty can continue to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Detroit Lions star, who is considered one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.