Ashton Jeanty sends message prior to regular season debut

The hype surrounding Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty is immense heading into the 2025 season.

Drafted sixth overall back in April, Jeanty made headlines with his physical running style. His otherworldly ability to absorb contact and run defenders over has already made him a fan favorite. With Offensive Rookie of the Year squarely in his sights, Jeanty is hoping to get his regular season started on the right foot against the New England Patriots on Sunday.

Heading into the matchup and the season ahead, Jeanty made his feeling clear about what he wants the NFL to know about him.

Jeanty is adamant that he is ‘the guy’ heading into this season.

In an interview with GQ, Jeanty showed that he is unafraid as he aims to live up to the high expectations placed on him by the Raiders.

“They let me know every single day I’m the guy,” Jeanty said. “They’re counting on me to do some special things in this offense.”

As the running back position has seen a decline in value in recent years, Jeanty’s high draft status makes him a rarity in the modern NFL.

However, the position appears to be hitting a renaissance as of late. Saquon Barkley was a pivotal addition for the Philadelphia Eagles in their Super Bowl season, and young players such as Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons) and Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions) are beginning to establish league-wide notoriety. Jeanty is preparing to use his rookie season as a springboard to reach those levels, hoping to become the NFL’s next great workhorse.

“Saquon’s done a great job at putting great things on display for the running back position and showing our value to the team by winning the biggest game possible,” Jeanty continued. “Not only that, there’s so many other great guys [at the position] like Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs. Me getting drafted as high as I did showed the value is coming back.”

Jeanty is set to become a star in the NFL, and the Raiders are placing him in the position to do so.