The Las Vegas Raiders had the worst rushing attack in the league during the 2024 NFL season. So what did they do in the following year's draft? Select Ashton Jeanty, a generational talent at running back, in the first round, in hopes that his ability alone could turn things around.
But incredibly poor coaching, a bad passing offense and constantly trailing in matchups were not conducive to much success in Jeanty's first year. Remarkably, he still ran for close to 1,000 yards, but Jeanty would probably tell you that he didn't make the impact that he wanted to make.
So this offseason, the Raiders went out and hired Klint Kubiak as their head coach, whose run game helped bring a Lombardi Trophy to the Seattle Seahawks. But Kubiak didn't lean on one running back; he employed a two-headed monster approach in the backfield. Las Vegas didn't have a second back.
Until they traded up in Round 4 to select another stud player in Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr., who will be a perfect complement to Jeanty. And his first quote as a Raider about teaming up with the Raiders' 2025 first-rounder in Las Vegas is just perfect.
Mike Washington Jr. has Las Vegas Raiders fans excited about young RB duo
Not long after he was selected, Washington Jr. met with local Las Vegas reporters virtually. Of course, the first question that he was asked was about getting the chance to join Jeanty in the backfield. Washington Jr. already created a great nickname for this young duo, albeit accidentally.
"I'm super excited to get rolling with him. All I could think of is Thunder and Lightning," Washington Jr. said. "So, super super excited to be the one-two punch with him and to really, like I said before, be a sponge and learn from him also at the same time."
Thunder and lightning.
In Detroit, the Lions called their running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery "Sonic and Knuckles." And while hardly the first time that a halfback pairing has been called "Thunder and Lightning," every good backfield duo needs a nickname, and the Raiders' young guys already have one.
Washington Jr., who stands at nearly 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds, is obviously the thunder. Jeanty, who is just 5-foot-8 and 211 pounds, will be the lightning. But perhaps the best part about this young pairing is that both players can actually perform effectively in both roles.
Yes, Washington Jr. is a bigger back, but he ran a blistering 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. One of his biggest strengths is actually his ability to bounce a run outside and punish teams with his speed. That sounds like lightning to me.
Jeanty isn't exactly afraid of contact, either. He pulled out the truck stick multiple times in his rookie season, and Jeanty is just as likely to juke a defender or run around them as he is to go right through them. There's your Jeanty thunder.
If this duo can even approach living up to others with the same nickname, like the Tennessee Titans' Chris Johnson and LenDale White or the New York Giants' Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs, then Raider Nation will be undoubtedly thrilled.
These two, with their unique ability to both be thunder and lightning, combined with Kubiak's excellent coaching of the rushing attack, should be able to find success in Las Vegas. It may not happen instantly, but the storm will always be lurking. And when it comes, good luck getting out of it.
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