Analysts address constant Raiders, Ashton Jeanty rumors after Geno Smith extension

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and SNY's Connor Hughes are among those predicting the Las Vegas Raiders will select Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, the consensus top running back in this year's class, with the sixth overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft after the club signed recently acquired quarterback Geno Smith to a two-year contract extension. 

Retired ball-carrier and current NFL analyst Maurice Jones-Drew likes the idea of a Raiders-Jeanty marriage. 

"Jeanty is the best prospect I have seen in the last 10 years, with special contact balance and vision. He can beat you inside or outside, and he can catch," Jones-Drew said while speaking with The Athletic's Vic Tafur for an article published on Tuesday. "The Raiders should definitely just take him. You know (head coach) Pete Carroll wants to run the ball, and this guy is a great fit and can come right in and be a workhorse, and help him and Geno get some wins right away."

Chris Mason of MassLive shared how NFL Media's Lance Zierlein has Jeanty ranked as the highest-graded prospect in the upcoming draft. Nevertheless, it seems likely Jeanty will fall to the Raiders at No. 6 even if both the Cleveland Browns (pick No. 2) and New York Giants (No. 3) pass on grabbing Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Some previously linked Sanders with Vegas because he has a relationship with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. However, such talk has quieted down as of the second week of April.

Meanwhile, it makes sense Carroll will want to take some pressure off Smith after the 34-year-old finished this past regular season with the league's fourth-most pass attempts (578), per Pro Football Reference. Only two quarterbacks finished the campaign with more interceptions than Smith (15).

"Pulling the trigger on a running back in the top 10 is very difficult — even for teams who aren’t in a rebuilding process," draft analyst Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic told Tafur. "Though, if you’re going to do it, I absolutely believe Jeanty is the type of prospect you take a chance on. Jeanty’s contact balance and spatial awareness are elite. He runs with power, speed and precision and is truly one of those rare RBs who can play on any down in any situation. He was a receiver in high school (and a QB for a bit) and can still run basically any route on the tree from the backfield or the slot."

Some have suggested the New York Jets would happily take Jeanty if he fell to them at pick No. 7, so the Raiders may not want to trade out of their selection if they covet the draft's RB1. As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Raiders as the betting favorites at -130 odds to land Jeanty on the night of April 24.