With two weeks remaining until the NFL Draft, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty remains the consensus No. 1 running back on the board.
Jeanty put together a junior season for the ages, leading the country in carries (374), yards (2,601) and touchdowns (29). He placed second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Colorado’s Travis Hunter.
The 2025 NFL Draft will be held April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Here is a collection of opinions from draft analysts on where Jeanty will land.
1. Mel Kiper, ESPN: No. 6 to Las Vegas Raiders
Rationale: “Last in rushing yards per game at 79.8. Last in yards per rush at 3.6. Tied for the second-fewest runs of 10 or more yards with 34. That's what Las Vegas produced on the ground last season. New coach Pete Carroll is going to want much more out of his run game, and Jeanty could immediately flip the script. He displayed excellent speed, contact balance and vision en route to 2,601 rushing yards last season. He could be an elite three-down back in the NFL.”
2. Rhett Lewis, NFL Network: No. 6 to Cleveland Browns (trade with Las Vegas Raiders)
Rationale: “The Browns absolutely could entertain a quarterback here, but a game-changing running back like Jeanty would help Kenny Pickett (or, perhaps, Kirk Cousins if a trade with Atlanta comes to fruition) in the near term and ease the transition for a rookie quarterback down the road.”
3. Connor Rogers, NBC Sports: No. 6 to Las Vegas Raiders
Rationale: “I understand why most fanbases prefer to wait on running back, but Jeanty is special. The Raiders would potentially have the best tight end in the league, a top running back and a big upgrade under center in Geno Smith. I think this roster is much better than it gets credit for and while they need a cornerback, taking one here feels like a reach.”
4. Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports: No. 5 to Jacksonville Jaguars
Rationale: “What if Jaguars new (and young) general manager James Gladstone sees increased value in an uber-explosive running back on a rookie deal? This represents the ceiling for Jeanty and would be a big boost for Jacksonville's running back room.
5. Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today: No. 6 to Las Vegas Raiders
Rationale: “The Heisman Trophy runner-up is headed to Sin City this week, and many are convinced that will be his draft-night destination. The Silver and Black might be testing just how much value even the most well-rounded running back can provide to an offense with significant deficiencies elsewhere. But Jeanty has shown a rare penchant for creating yardage almost on his own, and an alignment between intention and talent can help the Raiders rejuvenate the league's worst rushing attack.”
6. Marcus Mosher, 33rd Team: No. 10 to Chicago Bears
Rationale: “There is a good chance that Jeanty doesn’t even make it to this spot, as he is clearly one of the top five players in the class. However, he falls a bit due to positional value, and it’s the Bears who scoop him up. Chicago doesn’t have very many needs on offense after addressing its offensive line this offseason. Jeanty would give Ben Johnson his feature back, and this would be among the most talented offenses in the NFL.”
