Ashton Jeanty likely competing for snaps early on

When the Las Vegas Raiders drafted Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in April, it was with the expectation that he would be their starting running back early on.

During minicamp, there was nothing that stood out to suggest that that philosophy changed. Jeanty was impressing the coaching staff, and even getting some reps in as a receiver out of the backfield. It was looking as though Jeanty was the locked-in workhorse back, and the Raiders would lean on him to get their league-worst rushing attack last year back to respectability.

However, head coach Pete Carroll ended minicamp by dousing that theory with cold water.

Jeanty could find himself locked into a backfield committee in his rookie year.

At the end of the Raiders’ mandatory minicamp on Thursday, Carroll suggested that he would still be employing multiple running backs in his offensive scheme, not just Jeanty.

“I love having multiple guys play,” Carroll said, per NFL’s Grant Gordon. “I’m not relying on one guy, you know.”

Jeanty is not the only running back on the Raiders roster, with free agent Raheem Mostert also joining the team this offseason. Carroll also retained Sincere McCormick and Zamir White from last year’s team, as well. With Mostert’s experience and the flashes McCormick showed last season, Carroll at least has options to prevent Jeanty from being run into the ground too early.

However, Carroll and Mostert both added that Jeanty impressed them at minicamp.

“Ashton looks every bit what we had hoped he would look like,” Carroll said. “He caught the ball really well, he understood stuff, took everything really seriously, gave terrific effort throughout. And we made a big deal to him — everybody’s watching you, you know — and he embraced the thought of it. So, it’s going to be exciting to see what happens.”

“We’re almost like one in the same,” Mostert added about his rookie teammate. “He has a physical presence to him, so do I. We’re both in the pass game, we try to be as effective as we possibly can. I think, with us two in the backfield together and being able to utilize our abilities, I think it’s gonna be a great showing.”

Jeanty will likely have to prove himself early on, but an impressive showing could open the door to an expanded role later on this season.