Las Vegas Raiders fans are buzzing with excitement over their new star running back, Ashton Jeanty, the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. After a jaw-dropping college career at Boise State—where he racked up 2,601 rushing yards, 29 touchdowns, and led the FBS with 185.8 yards per game—Jeanty’s walking into the NFL with sky-high expectations. The big question: can he hit the ground running as a rookie and live up to the hype? According to ESPN’s Mike Clay, the answer’s a resounding yes, with projections that have Raider Nation dreaming big.
Clay dropped his 2025 predictions on Thursday, and he’s got Jeanty pegged for 1,120 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. That’s no small feat in today’s NFL, where the “running back by committee” approach often spreads carries across multiple backs. But Clay’s confident Jeanty’s a cut above, pointing to history for proof: the last four backs taken in the top seven picks—Saquon Barkley, Trent Richardson, Ezekiel Elliott, and Leonard Fournette—all cleared 950 yards and nine touchdowns as rookies, often in fewer than 17 games. Since 2011, eight first-round running backs with 225-plus carries in their debut season averaged 1,230 yards and 10 scores. Clay expects Jeanty to hit that 225-carry mark, even if he misses a game or two, making that 1,000-yard milestone well within reach.
Jeanty’s college tape backs up the optimism. The Heisman Trophy runner-up and Doak Walker Award winner was a one-man wrecking crew, forcing 152 missed tackles (49 more than the next guy) and averaging seven yards per carry. His 862 receiving yards and six touchdown catches over three seasons show he’s not just a ground-and-pound guy—he’s a dual-threat weapon for Chip Kelly’s offense. With Las Vegas dead last in rushing yards per game (79.8) in 2024, Jeanty’s a lock to be the RB1, giving him the volume to chase those gaudy numbers.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Jeanty’s already had to dig into his wallet to secure his iconic No. 2 jersey, shelling out serious cash—enough for a fancy car or a house down payment—to pry it from kicker Daniel Carlson, with the money going to a charity of Carlson’s choice. On Up & Adams, Jeanty explained why the number matters: “I’ve worn it for the majority of my career. It was the day greatness was born… December 2nd. It’s a family number.” That kind of passion for his craft is exactly what Raiders fans love, and it’s fueling the hype for his debut.
The Raiders’ offense, with weapons like Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, Brock Bowers, and rookie Jack Bech, should give Jeanty room to operate, but questions linger about the offensive line’s ability to open holes.
If Kelly’s scheme—built for explosive plays—clicks, Jeanty’s elusiveness and vision could turn short gains into home runs. Picture No. 2 juking defenders in the open field, piling up 100-yard games like he did 14 times in college, and giving Vegas the ground game they’ve been missing. If he hits Clay’s 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns, or even pushes for the 1,230-yard average of those first-round predecessors, he’ll be in the Rookie of the Year conversation and maybe even resetting expectations for running backs league-wide.
Raiders fans, get ready—Jeanty’s got the tools, the touches, and the heart to make his NFL debut a showstopper. Whether he’s breaking tackles or breaking records, No. 2’s ready to run wild in 2025.
