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The Las Vegas Raiders have been busy resculpting their team so far this offseason, including acquiring Geno Smith to be their next quarterback as well as hiring Pete Carroll as head coach. The team also drafted running back Ashton Jeanty out of Boise State this past April, hoping to give themselves a boost in the backfield.
Jeanty grew up in Italy because his father was a commanding officer at a naval support base there, and he quickly endeared himself to the community with his athletic talents.
When he was finally old enough to play football in high school, Jeanty actually began the season at quarterback “because (coach Jim) Davis just wanted the ball in his hands. The Wildcats incorporated a ton of quarterback-designed run plays to allow Jeanty to beat opponents with his legs,” reported Ryan McFadden of ESPN.
However, that didn’t last long.
“After three games, Davis decided to scrap that plan and put Jeanty at running back,” added McFadden.
“As long as we had the ball, I knew we had the opportunity to score with him in the backfield,” Davis said. “A lot of times [teams] would put nine in the box, but if he hit a seam and you didn’t take him down, he was gone.”
Ashton Jeanty raised eyebrows and broke numerous records during his time at Boise State last year, working his way into the Heisman conversation in the process.
He now joins a Raiders team that has an intriguing mix of young and veteran talent. Jeanty will join rising second year man Brock Bowers on the offense. Bowers had a standout rookie season at tight end despite having to deal with incompetent quarterback play for large stretches of the year.
Meanwhile, Jeanty seems to have the physicality necessary to be able to contribute at the NFL level right away, even if there might be a slight adjustment period.
In any case, the Raiders are slated to kick off their 2025 season on the road against the New England Patriots on September 7.
Their preseason will begin against the Seattle Seahawks on August 7.
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