As much as it seemed to be an easy, almost pre-ordained marriage, the Las Vegas Raiders took some criticism for taking running back Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in April's draft. Many felt that another need could have been addressed with that top-10 pick.
The new regime in Las Vegas obviously saw Jeanty as an all-around fit, however. After he compiled more rushing yards after contact than any other back at the FBS level had overall last season, he was considered to be a notch above everyone else, despite it being a deep running back class.
Jeanty had a disappointing outing in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, with 38 yards on 19 carries and two catches for two yards. A rushing touchdown saved his day, but the Raiders' offensive line struggled to get push in the run game to help him out.
Raiders' Ashton Jeanty continues to be doubted at NFL level
According to ESPN's Field Yates, Jeanty had 44 yards after contact to get to his 38 yards on the ground. During his Monday press conference, head coach Pete Carroll also acknowledged how Jeanty may have been a little too ramped up for his NFL debut.
"Ashton, he was a little, he was hyped. He was jacked up," Carroll said. "He would tell you, I would think, that he wished he would have been a little more patient on some reads and things like that. That will come. He didn't look like that in preseason. This game, being out there and being called on to play, carry the ball 19 times or whatever, it was a little bit different for him. And he'll play way better. He'll see things more clearly. I know he's a little frustrated by that."
On Monday's edition of "PFT Live," NBC Sports' Chris Simms had a take about Jeanty as well.
“Ashton Jeanty, I know he’s the star but, … I don’t like the way Ashton Jeanty looks,” Simms said. "He has not impressed me once yet. There’s a lack of explosion that I think is lacking for a guy that was drafted in the top 10. I’m hoping I’m wrong because I loved watching him in college football, but I’ve not been thoroughly impressed at all."
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Nine preseason carries and one NFL regular season game are apparently enough for Simms to say Jeanty has not impressed him as a pro and that he "hopes he's wrong" about his lack of explosion as a runner.
It's one thing to be critical about Jeanty's debut performance and break down how he needs to do better moving forward. To go where Simms did is a stretch, though, almost as if he didn't realize there just wasn't any room to run against the Patriots' strong defensive front.
If Jeanty needs any more fuel to his fire after a Week 1 performance he'd like back, outside of the touchdown, Simms has come out of nowhere to offer some. It is way too early to be writing him off, but Jeanty will certainly respond well.