Where Ashton Jeanty Ranks in ESPN's NFL Draft Prospect Rankings

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Benedetto Vitale | Last updated Jan 21, 2025 4:10 PM ET

Boise State Broncos star Ashton Jeanty officially declared for the NFL draft in early January shortly after being a runner-up for the Heisman trophy. He had one of the most prolific seasons we've ever seen for a running back, finishing the 2024 campaign with 2,601 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns while averaging a whopping 7.0 yards per attempt.

Jeanty cemented himself in the college football history books, as his 2,601 rushing yards is the second most in a single season. Barry Sanders is the only player ahead of him, who recorded 2,626 rushing yards in 1988.

Fans and talking heads alike are interested to see which NFL team selects the 21-year-old running back. Numerous franchises could use a talent like that in the backfield, however, where does Jeanty rank amongst the entire draft class?

ESPN revealed its latest NFL draft prospect rankings and they have the Broncos star relatively high. Jeanty comes in as ESPN's fourth ranked player with only Penn State's Abdul Carter, Colorado's Travis Hunter, and Michigan's Mason Graham ahead of him.

Abdul Carter is the best available prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft according to ESPN pic.twitter.com/YhanQoKmcW
— The Basic Blues Podcast (@BasicBluesPod) January 21, 2025

The 2024 class didn't see a single running back selected in the first round. However, in the 2023 class, Bijan Robinson was picked eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons while Jahmyr Gibbs was selected 12th overall by the Detroit Lions.

Additionally, the NFL's view on running backs has changed over the years. Running backs are not viewed as a marquee position, as the passing attack has completely taken over the league. However, it's noteworthy that teams seem to have more of an issue when it comes to contract extensions, rather than rookie contracts.

That means there's a real chance Jeanty is taken in the first round in the 2025 NFL draft. But even though he's ESPN's No. 4 ranked prospect, that doesn't mean he'll be a Top 5 selection in late April.

There are numerous organizations that could be in the mix for Jeanty once the first round begins. Some teams that could use an upgrade at running back include the Las Vegas Raiders (own the No. 6 pick) and Dallas Cowboys (own the No. 12 pick).

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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