Ashton Jeanty is one of the generational prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. The running back put Boise State on his back and led them to a College Football Playoff appearance in the first year of the expanded format.
The Heisman Runner-Up will likely be a top-10 pick, and one ESPN analyst has the perfect landing spot.
Can Ashton Jeanty Be the Next RB To Crack the Top-10? Mina Kimes Says Yes
Jeanty is undoubtedly one of the top players available in the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s an explosive runner with excellent contact balance and vision, and he can make defenders look bad breaking tackles.
His overall size is average, but he offsets it with outstanding speed and burst. His lower center of gravity makes him sturdy, and his scheme versatility makes him one of the most valuable players in this year’s class.
His 2023 was exceptional, posting 1,347 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns while adding 43 receptions, 569 yards, and five scores through the air. He followed that up with a legendary 2024. Jeanty led FBS in carries (374) and rushing yards (2,601) and scored 29 rushing touchdowns en route to a second-place finish in Heisman Trophy voting.
Jeanty’s on-field performance speaks for itself, but drafting a running back in the top-10, let alone the first round, has fallen out of style. ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes was asked about Jeanty on a recent “NFL Live” appearance. Host Laura Rutledge noted that only six running backs have been taken in the top-10 in the last decade.
"A great running back cannot fix a bad offensive line."@MinaKimes weighed in on teams taking Ashton Jeanty in the Top 10 😅 pic.twitter.com/r5LV2sQnCh
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 14, 2025
Rutledge asked Kimes if Jeanty’s skill set warrants being taken that high. Kimes responded, “It does. He’s an unbelievable football player, but I think you have to consider a couple of things. One, the opportunity cost where you’re picking. The Raiders are a great example of this, considering receiver, maybe an offensive lineman. Two positions where, because the players make so much more money, you get more value from finding a rookie star.
“The other thing, I think, is just the context. The example I always go back to is Saquon Barkley, who was a generational prospect. Was drafted in a way that reflected that, but he had the up-and-down career with the New York Giants through no fault of his own. Some of it was injuries, but a lot of it was the situation. What we’ve seen with running backs is a great one run behind a good offensive line and take your offense to outer space.
“A great running back cannot fix a bad offensive line.” Kimes continued, “Even one as good as Ashton Jeanty. So, when you look at the top 10, think about places you want to take him. A team that comes to mind is Chicago. One that has put a lot of money into fixing their offensive line, because if you stick him behind a bad offensive line, that’s not a good draft pick.”
PFSN’s David Bearman feels Jeanty warrants a top-10 pick in his latest mock draft, predicting the Las Vegas Raiders will select the Boise State product. Many other mocks also have Jeanty going to the Raiders, but Chicago would be an ideal landing spot.
The Bears have invested into their offensive line for new head coach Ben Johnson. They traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and signed Drew Dalman in free agency. Those moves will help Caleb Williams feel more comfortable in the pocket and increase the value of drafting a running back early.
Barkley was immediately expected to be the guy in New York, but the team’s bad offensive line limited him. Chicago’s offense is loaded, and Jeanty could end up being the cherry on top, much like Barkely was last season with the Philadelphia Eagles.