{"id":297209,"date":"2025-08-16T21:59:15","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T21:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/16\/raiders-ashton-jeanty-fuels-hype-for-rookie-season\/"},"modified":"2025-08-16T21:59:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T21:59:15","slug":"raiders-ashton-jeanty-fuels-hype-for-rookie-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newhampshiredigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/16\/raiders-ashton-jeanty-fuels-hype-for-rookie-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty fuels hype for rookie season"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Las Vegas Raiders<\/a> rookie first-round running back Ashton Jeanty<\/a> looked every bit like a future featured back in the first half of preseason Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The No. 6 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft scored his first touchdown of the preseason and gained 33 yards on seven attempts (4.7 yards per carry).<\/p>\n

On Jeanty’s longest run, he bulldozed through 5-foot-10, 200-pound 49ers defensive back Deommodore Lenoir<\/a> for a 13-yard gain to San Francisco’s 25-yard line. He punched in a touchdown from one yard out six plays later. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Raiders made Jeanty the highest-drafted running back since the New York Giants selected Saquon Barkley at No. 2 overall in 2018. Jeanty is the sixth running back<\/a> over the past 10 seasons (since 2016) to be selected in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, also joining Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey and Bijan Robinson.<\/p>\n

Of the five previous, three rushed for 1,000 yards as a rookie, and each gained over 1,000 yards<\/a> from scrimmage. Elliott led the league in rushing (1,631 yards) in 2016, and Barkley led the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,028) two years later.<\/p>\n

Last season at Boise State, Jeanty had one of the best seasons by a running back in recent history, ending the season with 374 carries, 2,601 rushing yards (seven yards per attempt) and 29 rushing touchdowns. He finished second in Heisman voting.<\/p>\n

If Jeanty parlays his impressive performance against the 49ers into regular-season success, the Raiders could make noise in the deep AFC.<\/p>\n

Quarterback Geno Smith and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers are painfully underrated, and the offense also boasts second-year tight end Brock Bowers, who had 112 receptions, 1,194 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie.<\/p>\n

Head coach Pete Carroll has a track record of success wherever he’s coached, posting only four non-winning seasons in 18 previous seasons as an NFL head coach and reaching the playoffs 12 times.<\/p>\n

Jeanty showed glimpses of why he was so highly thought of coming out of college on Saturday, a great sign for the Raiders. The sooner they get him going, the likelier they can ride him to success.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n