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During his media availability at OTAS on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson had a bold take on his new teammate, rookie running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty was the Raiders first round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, and had a superstar senior season at Boise State that shook the nation in 2024.
Raiders fans have been eager to see Jeanty play, but nervous about whether or not his skillset will translate to the NFL.
According to Powers-Johnson, they don’t need to worry one bit.
“All the hype is real,” Powers-Johnson proclaimed. “I’m super excited to block for him, man.”
Powers-Johnson also hinted that when Jeanty makes it into the end zone, he may have a dance partner for his celebrations.
“Maybe [we’ll] get some celebrations,” Powers-Johnson said. “He’s a great TikTok dancer, so maybe get my hips loosened up a bit.”
If Powers-Johnson’s comments are any indication, the pair will have plenty of scores to celebrate in 2025.
Powers-Johnson Praises the Vibe in Vegas As a Whole
Powers-Johnson didn’t stop at giving a shoutout to Ashton Jeanty — he is high on what the Raiders have been going throughout the entire organization so far this offseason.
“This is the most fun I’ve had in football since I was a little kid,” Powers-Johnson said. “It’s super exciting.”
That all starts with the tone set by Head Coach Pete Carroll – who has gone viral multiple times this offseason already for interactions with his new players.
Of course, things will be a lot more fun if Ashton Jeanty is the generational running back he looked like for much of the 2024 college football season.
Will Ashton Jeanty Build on His Heisman-Caliber 2024 Season?
Football fans know full well just how box-office Ashton Jeanty’s 2024 season at Boise State was.
Jeanty racked up a whopping 2,601 yards rushing, the second most ever in a college season. He also scored 30 total touchdowns, received the Maxwell Award, was a first-team All-American, and led Boise State to their first College Football Playoff Appearance in program history.
Any other year, he would have received the Heisman trophy for his efforts; voters ended up giving it to now-Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter for the historic things he did on both offense and defense.
That mind-boggling resume earned him the 6th overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft by the Raiders.
All eyes have been on Jeanty at Raiders OTAs – with eagle-eyed fans noticing even the smallest changes like those to his stance in the backfield.
But the most interesting development has been Jeanty’s work in the passing game.
For all he did on the ground at Boise State in 2024, Jeanty really wasn’t a threat in the passing game — he had only 23 catches for 138 yards and a single touchdown last season.
But one season prior, he was much more dynamic — he had 43 catches for 569 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2023.
If Jeanty maintains his dominance on the ground and becomes a target through the air — he could put up video game numbers in this Las Vegas offense.
