How Quickly Will Raiders Make Jeanty the Lead Back?

The Las Vegas Raiders made Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

For a rushing attack that was arguably the worst in the NFL last season, Jeanty is a welcome sight for the Silver and Black. The Heisman Trophy runner-up should provide a spark for the offense.

Jeanty rushed for 2,601 yards in 2024 for the Broncos, the second-most in a single season in college football history, only behind the legendary Barry Sanders. That speaks to how great Jeanty was in 2024.

The Raiders need an immediate spark in their backfield, and Pete Carroll wants to run the football.

Do all signs point to Jeanty immediately taking over as the team’s top running back?

With how early the Raiders took him and the state of the current running back room, it does appear that he should take over the room right away.

Jeanty has incredible translatable skills for an NFL running back. He has elite vision, balance, and speed, and he may be the toughest player in the draft class to bring to the turf.

Not only does Jeanty have the skill to be a workhorse back, but he also has the toughness and durability. He appeared in 40 games in just three years for Boise State, taking 750 carries.

That averages out to 250 carries per season. For Jeanty to tote the rock that many times without suffering a major injury shows how reliable he can be at the next level.

Carroll loves to run the ball, so Jeanty made all the sense in the world for this Raiders’ offense. Carroll cannot wait to hand the ball off to Jeanty with the game on the line.

The other reason Jeanty should immediately become the team’s feature back is that there are no serious threats to him on the roster.

Raheem Mostert is a talented running back, but he is over 30 years old and relies on his speed as his primary skill. Will he be as fast as he was in years past, entering his 11th season?

Raiders fans are excited about the future of Raiders football due to Jeanty joining the team. They may get to experience running the offense through him sooner rather than later.

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