Ashton Jeanty is officially headed to Las Vegas, and many believe that it will be a match made in heaven.
The former Boise State star running back Jeanty was selected by the Raiders with the No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday. He became the first RB drafted in the first round by the Raiders since Josh Jacobs in 2019.
In the wake of the pick, everyone on social media said the same thing — that Jeanty would be an incredible fit with new Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.
Kelly, fresh off a national championship victory at Ohio State last season, is known for his high-powered, run-heavy offenses. Jeanty, a physical workhorse back who had an FBS-leading 2,601 yards on 374 carries for Boise State in 2024, seems like the perfect centerpiece for a Kelly-led offense (with Raiders tight end phenom Brock Bowers providing further firepower as well).
It is definitely an exciting time for the Raiders, who also hired a new head coach in Pete Carroll earlier this offseason. Carroll has a defensive background but has notably employed star running backs like Reggie Bush and Marshawn Lynch at his previous coaching stops.
Using such a high draft pick on Jeanty does come with risk, especially since he is only 5-foot-8 and did most of his damage in the Mountain West Conference. But Jeanty, 21, is undoubtedly ready for the challenge of becoming a star in the NFL, both from an athletic standpoint and from a mindset standpoint.
