Ashton Jeanty receives high grade for NFL preseason Week 2 performance

Following a tough NFL preseason debut, Ashton Jeanty returned to his Boise State form last weekend against the San Francisco 49ers.

Jeanty ran for 33 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, showing off his speed and power in a 22-19 loss at Allegiant Stadium.

NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter released his preseason Week 2 rookie grades on Tuesday, and Reuter liked what he saw from the Las Vegas Raiders tailback. 

Reuter gave Jeanty an A- grade for his performance over the weekend.

“Jeanty’s strong showing against the 49ers showed why he can carry the load for the Raiders this season,” Reuter wrote. “He impressed with downhill aggression on an early third-down conversion and displayed the strength to push safety Ji’Ayir Brown into the end zone early in the second quarter. 

“The top-10 pick’s best rush came late in the first quarter, however, when he cut off a lineman’s back side, accelerated through the second level and ran over Deommodore Lenoir in space to ultimately gain 13 yards. He was unsuccessful bouncing an inside run off left tackle and lowering pads against linebacker Tatum Bethune on his only reception.”

First-year Raiders quarterback Geno Smith praised Jeanty after the game. 

“Man, it fires me up just seeing him the way that he runs,” Smith said. “He’s running through people, and he’s not shying away from contact. 

“I think he’s going to be a really special player — like I’ve always said — and I think he’s just got to keep working. There’s a lot of things that he can get better at as well, but to see him in space with the ball in his hands and how dynamic he is, it was great to see.”

A three-year impact player for Boise State, Jeanty wrapped up his college career with 750 carries for 4,769 yards and 56 total touchdowns.

Jeanty put together one of the best running back seasons in college football history as a junior, leading the nation in carries (374), rushing yards (2,601) and rushing touchdowns (29). The Broncos finished 12-2 overall, won a second straight Mountain West title and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. 

Jeanty, who was taken sixth overall by the Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft, recorded 1,970 yards after contact during his record-breaking junior season while forcing 164 missed tackles. Jeanty’s 2,601 rushing yards rank second on the FBS all-time single-season rushing list behind Barry Sanders.