The best running back in the 2025 NFL Draft is off the board, as the Las Vegas Raiders have selected Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick. Jeanty is viewed as one of the best players in this class regardless of position, and he finished the 2024 season with the second-most rushing yards (2,601) in a single season in FBS history, falling just 27 rushing yards shy of tying the record Barry Sanders set back in 1988.
Not only is Jeanty shifty between the tackles and tough to bring down, but he’s a home run hitter as well. He crossed 100 rushing yards in all 14 games played last season, and his 13 rushes of at least 50 yards were more than any other FBS team recorded. Jeanty finished second in the Heisman voting behind Travis Hunter this past year. No non-Power conference player had finished that high since Marshall Faulk in 1992.
Running back was a big need for the Raiders, as Pete Carroll needed a bell cow to carry this new-look offense which includes quarterback Geno Smith and star tight end Brock Bowers. First-year general manager John Spytek brought up earlier this month how the NFL world watched Saquon Barkley carry the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl victory in one year. Now, Vegas is hoping a player like Jeanty can help the Raiders take their next step.
Here’s what the Raiders are getting in Jeanty, including his full scouting report, pro comparison, career accolades and overall NFL outlook.
“The Raiders and Pete Carroll want to run the football, so they end up with the best back in the draft. Normally I hate back this high. But this kid is special, Nice pick.” — Pete Prisco
Join us for live 2025 NFL Draft analysis from CBS Sports and an updating NFL Draft tracker. Also check out Pete Prisco’s NFL Draft grades for every first-round pick and subscribe to the “With the First Pick” podcast for nightly recaps, winners and losers and more from Green Bay.
Ashton Jeanty NFL Draft profile
- Age as of Week 1: 21 years old
- Height: 5-foot-8 ½
- Weight: 211 pounds
- Hand size: 9 ¼
CBS prospect ranking
Position: No. 1 RB | Overall: No. 10 overall
NFL comparison: Shorter Marshawn Lynch
While he was never a true home run threat in the NFL, at Cal, Marshawn Lynch busted long runs with good regularity, just like we’ve seen Jeanty do at Boise State. And of course, Lynch was always destructive upon contact with incredible balance after being hit and supremely strong legs to accumulate extra yardage with defenders hanging on him. Those are the same vibes I get with Jeanty, and like Lynch, Jeanty routinely finds holes in traffic between the tackles and can excel in a zone or power scheme. — Chris Trapasso
Ashton Jeanty scouting report
Jeanty is a stocky but fast RB prospect with the best contact balance I’ve ever scouted. He’s essentially impossible to take down on first contact. He can play in a zone or power scheme because he can be a smooth North-South runner or make defenders miss with lateral jukes in the hole. He’s very elusive with light feet. His speed is great but not spectacular, and it won’t be surprising to see him hit some long runs in the NFL. Jeanty’s vision is an asset, too, often running between the tackles and finding tiny creases to squeeze through. He doesn’t provide plus ability as a receiver and had some drops in his final season, but of course he can be a weapon in the screen game, though. Altogether, this is one of the finest RB prospects we’ve seen over the past decade.
About
- 2023-24: Two-time Mountain West player of the Year
- 2024: Most rushing attempts (312), rushing yards (2,288) and rushing touchdowns (28) in FBS. His 2,288 rushing yards are the fifth-most in a single season in FBS history.
- 2024: Most yards after contact (1,695) and missed tackles forced (130) in College Football Playoff-era records (since 2014). His 1,695 yards after contact were more than the total rushing yards of any other FBS player.
Strengths
- Unfathomable contact balance
- Plus speed to accelerate past defenders downfield
- Awesome between-the-tackles vision
Weaknesses
- Shorter/smaller than most power RBs
- Not a plus receiver
- Played lesser-ish competition
CBS Sports takes an in-depth look at Ashton Jeanty as a draft prospect.
This news was originally published on this post .
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