The Raiders took a swing with the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty-a dynamic, tackle-breaking running back with big-play ability. But so far, the results have been more about frustration than fireworks. Not because Jeanty lacks talent-he’s shown flashes of exactly why he was taken so high-but because the infrastructure around him has done little to help him succeed.
Let’s start with the obvious: the offensive line in Las Vegas has been a mess. That’s not hyperbole-it’s one of the league’s worst units, and it’s been a major reason why the Raiders’ offense has sputtered all season.
The line hasn’t just failed to open running lanes; it’s consistently lost the line of scrimmage, leaving Jeanty to fight through contact almost immediately after the handoff. And fight he has.
Through this point in the season, Jeanty has racked up 700 rushing yards-597 of those after contact. That’s a staggering number.
He’s also forced 44 missed tackles, showing the same elusiveness and power that made him a star in college. The problem?
He’s rarely had a chance to operate in space or build momentum through the second level. The Raiders are often playing from behind, which limits his touches, and the offense as a whole has struggled to stay on the field.
Still, the whispers have started. Words like “bust” are being floated in some circles-not because of what Jeanty has done, but because of what the team hasn’t done around him.
When you draft a running back in the top 10, especially in today’s NFL, you’re betting on a player who can be an immediate difference-maker. The Raiders needed Jeanty to be that guy right away.
And while he’s shown glimpses, the overall impact hasn’t met that lofty expectation.
That’s not entirely on him. This is a team with the league’s worst rushing attack, and that’s not something one player can fix alone-especially not a rookie.
But context matters. Drafting a running back that high means you’re expecting production despite adversity, not just when the conditions are perfect.
And right now, the conditions in Vegas are anything but.
NFL analysts have taken notice. Bucky Brooks gave the Raiders a “C” grade for the Jeanty pick-not a knock on the player himself, but a reflection of the positional value and the team’s failure to support him.
Meanwhile, other rookie backs taken later-like Omarion Hampton with the Chargers-are thriving behind better lines and in more stable systems. That contrast stings for Raider Nation.
On Sunday, after the Raiders were blanked 31-0 by the Eagles, the conversation around Jeanty heated up again. During the postgame show, Amber Theoharis and former NFL players James Jones and Eric Allen weighed in on Jeanty’s rookie campaign.
The consensus? Incomplete.
Jones, who knows a thing or two about offensive struggles, didn’t hold back. He acknowledged the line issues but also pointed out that Jeanty hasn’t consistently created on his own in tight spaces.
“I haven’t seen consistent runs to where it’s like, ‘Man, he broke two tackles and got seven yards,’” Jones said. “He’s looked good in open space, but running in between the tackles, he has been struggling.”
That’s a fair critique. The best backs in the league find ways to produce even when the blocking isn’t there.
Jeanty hasn’t quite figured out how to do that yet. He’s had trouble making defenders miss in the box and hasn’t consistently found the right lanes when the play breaks down.
That’s part of the learning curve, and it’s not uncommon for rookies. But when you’re a top-10 pick, the microscope is sharper.
Allen and Jones broke down film from the Eagles game to illustrate their points. On one run, Jeanty took a handoff and ran straight into Jordan Davis-a human brick wall-instead of bouncing outside, where there was more green grass.
On another, he chose the wrong gap entirely. These aren’t talent issues; they’re decision-making moments that can be coached and corrected.
But they’re also the kind of plays that separate good backs from great ones.
And that’s the crux of the conversation. Jeanty isn’t a bust-not even close.
He’s a talented, tough runner who’s been dropped into a bad situation. But in the NFL, perception often matters as much as production.
And unless the Raiders fix the offensive line and give Jeanty a real chance to shine, the narrative could start to turn against him-fair or not.
There’s still plenty of time for Jeanty to flip the script. He’s a rookie, and the flashes have been real.
The missed tackles, the yards after contact, the burst in the open field-those are traits you can’t teach. But if the Raiders want to get the most out of their investment, they need to give him more than just the ball.
They need to give him a chance.
Until then, the conversation around Jeanty will continue to be less about what he is, and more about what he hasn’t had the chance to become.