The Las Vegas Raiders are all-in on rookie Ashton Jeanty as their workhorse running back. Expectations for the No. 6 overall pick are extremely high, and with a strong college track record to back up this hype, it is unlikely he will be coming off the field very often.
That being said, the Raiders won't want to run Jeanty into the ground during his first year. The shelf life for NFL running backs is short, so finding ways to take snaps and touches off his plate from the jump will be important for extending his peak years.
Las Vegas began revamping their running back room this offseason by signing Raheem Mostert after he was released by the Miami Dolphins. The 33-year old won't be counted on to repeat his best years with Miami, but the importance of his veteran presence should not be dismissed, and he may even have a little something left in the tank.
Raheem Mostert touted to fill an ideal role for the Raiders
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently dug for some overlooked names who could make noise at NFL minicamps, which the Raiders will have from June 10-12. Mostert was surprisingly on the list, with Benjamin suggesting he could push for more work than expected behind Jeanty.
"The Las Vegas Raiders are betting big on Ashton Jeanty at running back, spending the No. 6 overall draft pick on the Boise State product to be a do-it-all weapon for new coach Pete Carroll," Benjamin wrote. "Still, Jeanty is a rookie, and Mostert has toted the rock at the NFL level for a decade. It's not unreasonable to think his fundamentals could earn him more reps than expected under the sage that is Carroll. And a lighter workload compared to his peak days with the Miami Dolphins might end up unlocking some of the home run speed that's propelled him in the past."
Mostert's speed has always been his strongest asset, and he can put that on full display alongside Jeanty. Keeping his legs fresh while Jeanty takes most of the snaps will be paramount, as he can come in with lighting speed against worn down defenses and make big plays.
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If nothing else, Mostert, who has 10 years of NFL experience under his belt, should be a great mentor for Jeanty.
Anything he produces on the field will be secondary to that, but his unique career track also means he's not a typical 30-plus year-old running back in terms of workload.
So, the idea that Mostert could be a bigger factor than expected in the Raiders' rushing attack this year is not that far-fetched, even if Jeanty is going to be the featured back right off the bat.