Putting Raiders' Ashton Jeanty's Season into Proper Perspective

The Las Vegas Raiders' selection of running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick in the most recent draft will be dissected for years to come. Or, until the Raiders begin to win more games. However, Jeanty has already done enough this season to further legitimize the decision.

Jeanty was painfully close to finishing the season with 1,000 rushing yards, falling just 25 yards short of the mark. Still, he broke Josh Jacobs' record for most scrimmage yards for a Raiders rookie, with over 1,300 combined yards on the ground and through the air, respectively.

Watch Jeanty discuss below.

Jeanty's breakout performance against the Houston Texans alone should have been enough to remove any doubt surrounding the Raiders' decision to draft Jeanty. the league's top defense also spoke volumes. Maximizing Jeanty's potential has to be a top priority for the Raiders this offseason.

Las Vegas now turns its attention to rebuilding what is the worst roster in the league. The Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, putting them in the perfect position to draft their quarterback of the future.

Doing so would allow the Raiders to pair a talented quarterback with Jeanty, Brock Bowers, and others. Then, the Raiders must fix their offensive line. Regardless of how they do it, the Raiders are expected to field a much better team next season.

However, first, Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll took a moment to acknowledge Jeanty's success this season. Jeanty may not have impacted the win column, but few Raiders did. Jeanty showed what is to come.

"Thanks for asking that. We need to talk about him. I thought he had a great year. I think he maximized the opportunities that he had. He came through in so many ways. It just shows you, not just the toughness, but the endurance, too. He played all year long. He was running fast in practice this week. Sometimes, by the last game of the year, guys are really unable to. He was just rock solid. He's such a tough guy,” Carroll said.

“There were a couple really good hits he had carrying the football. He's really physical. These guys know it, too. They respect the heck out of him. They know what he is and who he is, and he just keeps coming back day in and day out being the same guy, great attitude, great mentality, and really determined to be at his best. You can't ask for anything more than that. And so, he already is emerging in this club, and he'll be a longtime leader in this club."

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