The Las Vegas Raiders finished their 2024 campaign with a 4-13 record and in fourth place in the division, landing them the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, which they used on Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
Last season, the Raiders had the worst rushing attack in the league, averaging an NFL-low 79.8 yards per contest in 2024, which was 12 yards per game fewer than the New York Jets, who were the next worst. Knowing this, it wasn't a surprise to see them target the best running back in the class with their first-round selection.
Jeanty, 21, was a beast over the last three seasons with the Boise State Broncos. He rushed for 4,769 yards and 50 touchdowns on 6.4 yards per carry and brought in 80 passes for 862 yards and six scores. He also won Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year twice and earned both All-Mountain West honors and All-American honors twice.
This past year, Jeanty was named the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, which was given to Colorado two-way phenom Travis Hunter.
Now that Jeanty's found his NFL team, many believe he'll have a successful career, and ESPN's Matt Miller predicts that will start with a remarkable rookie season that will see him lead the league in at least one category.
"Jeanty will lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns," Miller wrote on Friday. "Despite being a rookie on a team with low expectations, Jeanty will be force-fed the ball on an offense that doesn't have a solid RB2 behind him and lacks a game-breaking receiving talent. We should be looking at a 15-plus touchdown season."
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Last season, three players (Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs and James Cook) led the league in rushing touchdowns with 16 each.
If that's the mark for Jeanty to reach in 2025, he'll have to bring quite the effort, as he'd be nearing the current NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a rookie (Eric Dickerson had 18 in 1983).
Considering what we saw from Jeanty the last three years, that type of performance in his first season as a pro isn't off the table. In fact, breaking Dickerson's record might be in his sights this year.
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