Running back Ashton Jeanty #2 (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
One of the most prolific running backs in college football history is entering the 2025 NFL Draft and will be the top player at his position taken off the board. Jeanty is coming off of a season in which he ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns while coming up just 28 yards short of breaking the single-season record for rushing yards.
If it weren’t for a once-in-a-generation player in Travis Hunter, Jeanty would have won the Heisman Trophy at Boise State. He’s going into his rookie season with the same type of expectations, mentioning how he wants to run for 1,000 yards in his first season in the NFL and win Rookie of the Year.
Eyes on the End Zone and the Awards
“Rush for 1,000-plus rushing yards, go to the playoffs,” says Jeanty in a one-on-one interview with RG on his first season objectives. “Hopefully I’m on a good enough team to get a shot at the Super Bowl. I think every rookie is going after the Rookie of the Year award.”
Although he plays a position that isn’t normally drafted high, Jeanty is such a dominant running back prospect that he’s expected to go in the top 10. He could potentially go top five if his hometown team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, select him at No. 5. The Las Vegas Raiders have also shown interest in Jeanty at No. 6.
The Dallas Cowboys — Jeanty attended high school in Frisco, Texas — are slotted to pick at No. 12. That means if Jeanty slips in the draft, the Cowboys could select the dynamic running back. It’s no secret that Dallas is in desperate need of a running back after finishing 29th in rushing yards and last in rushing touchdowns last season.
Drafting Jeanty, the hometown kid and the top running back in the draft, would fill one of their biggest voids.
“It would be dope, man,” says Jeanty when asked what it would mean to him to be drafted by the Cowboys.
“Most guys, they would love to play for their hometown team, just because of growing up there. But any opportunity for any team in the NFL is going to be great.”
Draft Day Dreams and Reality Checks
While Jeanty is considered a top-10 prospect in most mock drafts, unexpected things happen on draft day, which the 21-year-old is well aware of. A factor that may play a role is the fact that running backs historically are not drafted high in the first round. Since 2019, only one running back has been drafted in the top 10, and that’s the Atlanta Falcons’ Bijan Robinson.
Jeanty isn’t too concerned about what pick he’s drafted at; he says it’s more important to land in the right situation.
“It’s wherever you land, you don’t get to decide,” says Jeanty. “It’s whatever happens that day, honestly. I’m just really excited to see where I go. Hopefully it’s a great situation, and hopefully it’s an organization that I’m a fit for.”
All-Around Threat with Big-League Comparisons
The 5-foot-9, 211-pound Jeanty is both fast and powerful. He wasn’t able to show off much of his receiving prowess during his final season at Boise State because of the heavy workload he handled rushing the football, but he proved he can be a receiving back during his sophomore season in 2023 when he caught 43 passes for 569 yards.
Jeanty sees himself as an all-around back, comparing himself to the New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara. Kamara is widely considered to be one of the top receiving backs in the NFL. Kamara is a five-time Pro Bowler who has recorded at least 80 receptions in four consecutive seasons.
“I’ve gotten a lot of comparisons, but I think I like the comparison to Alvin Kamara the most,” says Jeanty.
“Just the contact balance, level of elusiveness and being able to be versatile. Catching the ball in the passing game and he can get it done blocking and protecting the quarterback.”
As far as which defender he’s most looking to match up against in the pros, it’s none other than San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner. Warner is a four-time Pro Bowler who has registered at least 118 tackles in each of his seven seasons in the NFL.
“He’s considered the best guy in the league right now in Fred Warner,” says Jeanty. “Just to play against him, see how good he really is in real life. It’s just high motor every single play. He doesn’t take any plays off. He goes sideline to sideline, he’s everywhere on the field. He can really cover at an extremely high level as well. He’s just a complete linebacker.”
While Jeanty will await to see where he lands in the NFL Draft, his confidence isn’t lacking. The best running back in the draft aims to one day rush for 2,000 yards in a single season the way he did in college.
“Oh, yeah, most definitely,” says Jeanty when asked about wanting to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season in the NFL. “There are only nine guys to rush for 2,000 yards in the NFL. Hopefully nobody else does it again before I do it the 10th time.”
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