There was a ton of hype entering Ashton Jeanty’s rookie season after the Raiders took him with the No. 6 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
But Jeanty’s rookie campaign did not live up to the hype. He wasn’t as impactful in the Raiders’ offense and seemed like a shell of the Boise State superstar who tore up defenses in college.
Jeanty rushed for 975 yards on 266 carries (3.7 yards per carry), with five rushing touchdowns. On its face, those are not poor numbers for a rookie running back. But given the status of being drafted as high as he was, the expectations were much loftier.
The 22-year-old has now had an entire offseason to reflect on what went wrong during that rookie season and what he can do to change his and Las Vegas’ fortunes in year two. And he spoke about that during a Q&A interview on his YouTube channel that was published on Tuesday.
“I think I was a little bit too in my head. Feeling the pressure, feeling like I needed to prove something always,” Jeanty said when reflecting on his rookie season.
He then added, “But this year, just going out there, just having fun. It’s just football, you know? Not putting too much pressure on myself, and being the best teammate I can be; bringing the guys together more; being the best version of myself, so that I can make the team better.
“Through that, I’ll be able to accomplish all my personal goals. I’ll be able to contribute to the team’s success,” he concluded.
Jeanty wants the ball in his hands, and is surely going to get every opportunity to right those wrongs in his sophomore season. Plus, he’ll have a better supporting cast around him after the Raiders took Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
Las Vegas has also improved their offense line, notably by signing star center Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year deal. That should directly translate to success for Jeanty, making both him and the Raiders better.
