With Pete Carroll now overseeing the Las Vegas Raiders, few position groups have seen as much of an overhaul as the running back room. After a disastrous 2024 season in which the Raiders finished dead last in the NFL in rushing, change was inevitable. The team wasted no time shaking things up, selecting Boise State superstar Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and bringing in veteran Raheem Mostert in free agency.
Jeanty brings everything the Raiders lacked last season: explosive cuts, yards after contact, and a skill set that fits perfectly with Carroll’s scheme. Mostert, although past his prime, is still a speedy back with the experience to stabilize a young position group. Third-year back Sincere McCormick has also shown some promise in a limited role as the starter last season.
But as the unit trends upward, one odd man out is in danger of losing his spot on the team.
Former Fourth-Round Pick Facing Roster Bubble Reality
2022 fourth-round pick Zamir White was once projected as the heir apparent to Josh Jacobs. Now, the former Georgia standout finds himself fighting for a roster spot.
According to Just Blog Baby’s Micahel Haney, White could be cut. “The Raiders’ rushing attack was the worst in the NFL in 2024, and White was at the center of it,” Haney wrote. “He quickly lost his starting spot to Alexander Mattison before a quadriceps injury ended his season. Just three years after he was drafted, White’s time in Las Vegas might already be coming to an end.”
White had the starting job last season. Everything was in place for him to become the next featured back, but the Raiders’ rushing attack crumbled, and White was part of the blame. In the eight games he played, he averaged just 2.8 yards a carry with only one trip to the end zone. Not ideal.
Zamir White’s Future in Serious Doubt
With Jeanty expected to be the lead back and Mostert slotted in as a complementary piece, White’s role on the depth chart has been reduced to the fourth spot, even behind McCormick, who took over for White last season and averaged nearly six yards a carry between Weeks 12-14 before an ankle injury ended his hot streak.
NFL teams typically keep four running backs on their final roster, which means White will compete against 2024 sixth-round pick Dylan Laube. While his draft pedigree gives him the slight edge, White’s recent on-field production doesn’t. It’s now up to him to prove he still belongs, not just by flashing in the preseason, but becoming a trusted asset in Carroll’s new system, including on special teams.
There’s no doubt White still possesses some of the tools that made him a coveted draft prospect in 2022. However, with a new coaching staff and a revamped running back room, that potential must translate into results now. If it doesn’t, it’s a hard road to making the 53-man roster for White.
