There is no denying that it has been a rocky start for Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders to fix their running game, and while there have been flashes of excellence, the production hasn’t matched the hype.
But like all running backs in the NFL, Jeanty can only do so much on his own. The offensive line has been a disaster for the Raiders early in the season, and it’s evident that Jeanty is trying to compensate for their issues.
The result? A poor rushing attack with a running back who is doing too much. And that explains why his statistics and grades from outlets like Pro Football Focus have been so poor.
Don’t blame Ashton Jeanty too much for his poor start
Jeanty is averaging just 2.7 yards per carry in the NFL despite already seeing 30 rushing attempts through two games. But that number is a tad misleading, as his success rate (43.3%) is much closer to the league average compared to his yards per carry number.
He’s converting in short yardage situations, but the long runs just haven’t happened yet. In a recent article by Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, Wasserman wrote about all 32 first-round picks and their performances after the first two weeks of the season.
Jeanty has posted an overall grade of 53.3, which is 10th among all rookie running backs. Unfortunately, only 10 rookie running backs have qualified for grading, which means Jeanty is dead last. This obviously isn’t a great sign for the Boise State product.
"Jeanty is still adjusting to the NFL. While he is running through defenders as a ball carrier, his pass blocking is putting quarterback Geno Smith in precarious situations," Wasserman wrote. "He forced another four missed tackles on Monday Night Football, giving him eight for the year — tied for the third most among running backs. But he was responsible for a sack in pass protection and earned his second straight sub-30.0 PFF pass-blocking grade."
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Jeanty is going to be just fine, so there is no need to worry about him being a “bust” or the next Trent Richardson. Plenty of talented running backs who were drafted in Round 1 struggled in their first few starts, including players like Ezekiel Elliott and Christian McCaffrey.
In fact, McCaffrey averaged just 2.4 yards per carry in his first eight NFL games before turning things around. However, this is a good reminder that a running back can’t fix a run game all on their own. There is more to being a successful running back than just being able to run the ball well.
The Raiders will improve on the offensive line, especially in run-blocking, and the speed of the game will slow down for Jeanty soon, so fans shouldn’t panic yet. Jeanty is a good player, but he needs more help, just like every other top-flight back in the NFL.