The Case Against the Jaguars Drafting Ashton Jeanty

Why the Jacksonville Jaguars should not draft Boise State's Ashton Jeanty at No. 5 in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Nov 16, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs for a touchdown against the San Jose State Spartans in the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars have some big decisions facing them in the next few weeks.

The 2025 NFL Draft is set to be the most important moment yet for the Jaguars' new regime of head coach Liam Coen, general manager James Gladstone and executive vice president of football operations Tony Boselli. It isn't hyperbolic to say it could set the tone for the trio's first year at the helm of the franchise.

That is why there has been so much conversation and debate when it comes to the Jaguars' first pick at No. 5 overall. The top pick gives the Jaguars a chance to add a potential blue-chip prospect to the formula for the Jaguars' new leadership group.

And when it comes to blue-chip prospects, there aren't many like Boise State's Ashton Jeanty.

Jeanty's name has come up now and then in mock drafts this offseason, though nowhere close to how often Mason Graham's name has. Despite that, it feels like Jeanty's candidacy to be the No. 5 pick has seen a surge of momentum in national media in the weeks leading up to the draft.

We have already gone over the case for the Jaguars to draft Jeanty, but what about the other side of the argument? The case against Jeanty to the Jaguars.

Frankly, it is an even easier argument to make than the argument for the Jaguars to select the All-World college star. Jeanty is a terrific prospect who is amongst the best players in the draft, but there is a reason you don't see his name mentioned anywhere in the top-3.

Simply put, it is a poor allocation of resources to invest in a running back at No. 5, no matter their phenomenal talent. And Jeanty is a phenomenal talent without question.

The Jaguars are not a mere running back away from changing their franchise, no matter how good the running back. With so many needs across the roster, it would be a hard pill to swallow for the Jaguars from a value standpoint to tolerate a running back here, even with the recent surge in running back success.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Saquon Barkley are actually a prime reason why Jeanty should not go to the Jaguars at No. 5. Barkley is an elite talent, potentially even a Pro Football Hall of Fame talent.

But on a worse team with the New York Giants, Barkley failed to reach the heights he easily reached with the Eagles. The Eagles were able to maximize Barkley's talent because of their ability to develop the rest of the offense first, namely the trenches.

The best way to fix a running game is to focus on the offensive line. Even the best running back in the NFL didn't put up the numbers he was capable of producing without finding the right offensive line first.

In one of the deepest running back drafts in recent memory, the Jaguars would be wiser to take one later in the draft and let Jeanty try to save some other offense.

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