One of the most exciting rookies heading into the 2025 NFL season is running back Ashton Jeanty of the Las Vegas Raiders. The star selected with the sixth overall pick in this year’s draft shone at Boise State, delivering one of the best seasons in college football history in 2024, falling just short of winning the Heisman Trophy.
Now, with the Raiders, the running back is expected to make a major impact on an offense that also features a new quarterback. Jeanty made a bold prediction for his rookie season, a stat line that, if it comes true, would immediately place him among the best at his position.
Ashton Jeanty Aims for a Big First Season in the NFL
The arrival of Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas was a true necessity for 2025. The Raiders’ offense in 2024 ranked among the worst in the NFL, finishing 29th in the PFSN Offense+ metric. Most notably, the run game was virtually nonexistent, a backfield that saw constant rotation and never established anything close to a functional ground attack.
That led to a full-scale overhaul, with the franchise bringing in head coach Pete Carroll along with quarterback Geno Smith in an effort to shift the team’s culture. But the offense still lacked a star, a difference-maker who could stress opposing defenses. That’s where Jeanty comes in.
In an interview with CBS Sports, the rookie said he’s aiming for a historic debut season in the NFL, with a stat line that would immediately place the Raiders among the league’s top rushing offenses:
Confident: Raiders star RB Ashton Jeanty predicts 1,500 rushing yards and 10-20 rush TDs in his rookie season:
“I’m hoping for 1,500 rushing and we’ll say like 10-20 touchdowns.”
The Raiders will be a PROBLEM this season 😤
(via @CBSSports) pic.twitter.com/vxt7O1uUD8
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 26, 2025
“I’m hoping for 1,500 rushing and we’ll say like 10-20 touchdowns,” Jeanty said.
In 2024, only two players eclipsed 1,500 rushing yards: Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry. Barkley even took home the Offensive Player of the Year award, an honor Jeanty could realistically compete for if his prediction comes true.
Though he’s a shorter back, Jeanty is fast, physically strong, and possesses excellent field vision, traits that should quickly set him apart from the rest of the running back room.
His big-play ability stems from how difficult he is to bring down, and his mindset often feels like a throwback to an earlier era of football, one that was more physical and punishing.
Jeanty is set to make his debut on the road against the New England Patriots, in a matchup between two teams expected to improve from last season.
While the Raiders remain in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, they now have far more reason to believe in their offense, and it’s only a matter of time before Jeanty becomes a star in this league.