In a way, I kind of feel bad for Ashton Jeanty.
The Raiders brought in, like, 100 new and exciting players/coaches this offseason, and yet every ounce of Raiders hope seems to already be resting on Jeanty's shoulders. I guess that's life when you're a generational running back prospect, but still – there's a lot of expectations for a guy who has yet to play one (1) single snap of professional football.
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Take, for instance, Bleacher Report's latest list of running backs who could potentially win their first rushing title this year. It is an oddly specific listicle, I agree. The important thing to take away from it, though, is just how much hype there already is for Jeanty, considering his name appears second. Second! He's already being thrown into listicles with guys like D'Andre Swift and Bijan Robinson. So much for a rookie curve.
Bleacher Report's Ashton Jeanty rushing title prediction is the best thing you'll read today
"Jeanty is the early favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he landed in an ideal spot to hit the ground running for a standout campaign. Since his four-year run in the NFL, Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has evolved as a play-caller and designed plays for a more physical offensive attack that gashed defenses on the ground. While at UCLA between 2020 and 2023, his teams ranked 17th or better in rushing yards ... Behind Jeanty, Las Vegas has shaky depth at running back. Raheem Mostert turned 33 in April and battled injuries last year. Zamir White is coming off a forgettable, injury-riddled campaign. Sincere McCormick has appeared in just five career games. Dylan Laube has one regular-season rush attempt, and he fumbled it. Assuming Jeanty takes on the featured role, he could win the rushing title."
"Assuming Jeanty takes on the featured role" kinda freaks me out? Is there a world where he doesn't? I don't think a team takes a running back 6th overall in the draft just so he can be part of a committee with Zamir White and Raheem Mostert.
Otherwise, no notes. Having a Chip Kelly-schemed offense that features both a generational tight end *and* a generational running back is the stuff 9-win dreams are made of. Who knows how good they'll be, but the Raiders are going to be fun, and even just that will be a breath of fresh air in Las Vegas.