With the sixth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders selected Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, He is a perfect fit for the new look Raiders with Pete Carroll at the helm. When he was successful in Seattle, Carroll had a powerful running game with Marshawn Lynch that helped to set up the pass game.
Jeanty is not a one-dimensional back. He can catch passes out of the backfield, but more than that, he breaks tackles and springs big plays. Las Vegas has Mostert on the roster already, which can cover the speed element, and then when the Raiders get to short-yardage situations, Jeanty can come into play and power forward for the extra 3-4 yards. Jeanty also has the ability to shrink the field for the defense and command more attention in the box, which opens up the passing game for Geno Smith.
Clearly, here the Raiders address a major need for offensive explosion and stretching the defense out a lot more. With the likely addition of receivers and Jeanty, the Raiders now have significantly improved their offensive capabilities. One question out there will be, how do Jeanty and Mostert split the workload with different playstyles. This could be a situation where Las Vegas plays the running backs situationally, like Detroit has the last 2 years with Montgomery and Gibbs.
In the second round, you can look for the Raiders to add to their receiver room. With many going off the board now, if the Raiders really want a high-end receiver, taking him early in the second is imperative.
In the end, drafting a player and specifically a running back like Jeanty can be risky this high with the controversy regarding the position currently. However, if Jeanty is developed right, he could not only change the trajectory of the Las Vegas Raiders but also how the running back position will be viewed in the next decade with his versatility.