Insider predicts Ashton Jeanty will have all-time rookie season

Very few rookies are entering the NFL this season with the expectations that Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty has.

The sixth overall pick in April’s draft, Jeanty finished second all-time in rushing yards with 2,601 for Boise State. Now tasked with fixing a league-worst rushing attack, Jeanty is poised to become the true workhorse back to replace Josh Jacobs. New Raiders head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly have worked with dominant running games in the past, and Jeanty gives them a centerpiece to focus on.

All of these variables have one insider believing that Jeanty will not only win Offensive Rookie of the Year, but in dominant fashion.

One insider believes Jeanty is set to do something no rookie in NFL history has done before.

NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha’s list of bold predictions for the 2025 season include Jeanty becoming the first rookie running back (10th overall) to run for over 2,000 yards.

“Nine NFL players have rushed for 2,000 yards in a season, with Saquon Barkley joining the club in 2024. None of those men accomplished the feat in Year 1,” Chadiha wrote.

“Yes, it’s a heavy expectation to place on a rookie. It’s also apparent that the Raiders won’t have that many weapons to rely upon in that offense, and we’re living in an era when running the football is trendy again. The Raiders will have to win games with a ground-and-pound approach. That puts Jeanty in position to do unprecedented things.”

The last time a running back ran for 2,000 yards was just last season, with Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles accomplishing the feat en route to winning Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl ring.

While expecting a similar performance from Jeanty is a bit much, it is also not entirely out of line. The Raiders invested heavily on the offensive side of the ball over the last couple of seasons, so Jeanty does not have to do everything on his own. That could work to the rookie’s benefit, with opposing defenses not being able to key in on him like they were able to in college, providing opportunities for big plays on the ground.

If Jeanty enjoys the season that Chadiha expects him to have, the Raiders could emerge as one of the big surprise teams of the 2025 season.