The Las Vegas Raiders are in the middle of training camp, and one of the biggest stories out of camp has been how seamlessly Ashton Jeanty has fit into the roster and the Raiders’ overall offensive plan after getting drafted with the sixth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Jeanty has a lot of expectations with him this season after getting drafted so high, and early reports say that he might be even better than expected.
Sports Illustrated NFL Reporter Albert Breer was at the Raiders training camp, and the most significant takeaway he had was that Jeanty jumped off the page and that he pass-blocks much more in the NFL now than he did in college, and that he was able to step into it as much as possible. It seems like something that Pete Carroll is focusing on.
Breer elaborated, “Ashton Jeanty has come as advertised. All the obvious stuff to all the coaches and scouts who evaluated him is the contact balance and the ability to hide behind his linemen as a shorter, more compact player. And get past defenders before they could even see him. He can take a 10-yard run and turn it into a 50-yard run. All that stuff is there.
“What’s been a little surprising to coaches is how quickly he’s adjusted in the passing game. Pass pro can prevent young players at that position from getting on the field early in their careers. And it’s something that Ashton Jeanty, as a college player, like a lot of great backs, didn’t do a ton of in college, but he’s taken to it right away.”
Ashton Jeanty had an incredible season last year that resulted in him finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting, only behind Travis Hunter. He had 2,601 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns on 374 attempts. He also helped Boise State win the Mountain West and earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, before losing to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Breer also mentioned that he sees Jeanty as a big playmaker outside of the passing game, which is crucial for his NFL career.
“He’s also looked natural catching the ball, which has created a lot of optimism that he’ll be a three-down player right out of the gate for the Raiders. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t have a massive rookie year.”
New head coach Pete Carroll is sure to get Ashton Jeanty involved early and often this season, and the key will be how he is used so he does not get banged up.
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