NFL Legend Says Ashton Jeanty Needs More Touches

The Las Vegas Raiders drafted running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to help improve what was the league’s worst rushing attack a season ago. However, two weeks into this season, the Raiders are still struggling to get things going on the ground.

Jeanty has just 81 total yards on 30 carries so far this season and garnered just 11 carries during the Raiders’ Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. Head coach Pete Carroll is known to lean on the run game, but that hasn’t been the case so far, and retired linebacker James Harrison feels that needs to change.

On the latest episode of the Deebo and Joe podcast, Harrison called on Carroll and the Raiders to give Jeanty at least 20 carries a game:

“You got one of the coldest running backs coming out of college last year. I’m going to hand him the ball at least 20 times a game. He’s gettin at least 20 carries a game.”

Harrison would continue, noting that the Raiders drafted Jeanty for a reason while saying that relying on Geno Smith to throw the ball 40 or more times a game is not a strategy conducive to winning:

“You have to have help from your offensive line, of course, but you need to effectively be able to run the ball. You didn’t draft him over there just to hand the ball to him 12 times a week. I like Geno, but he ain’t gonna be that quarterback that’s going to sit out there and pump the ball out 40–50 times a game and think that that’s going to be something conducive to you guys winning.”

There are many different factors at play here, as teams could be loading up the box to contain Jeanty and forcing Smith to make plays to beat them. The Chargers also have one of the best defenses in the NFL, so Jeanty’s struggles and Smith’s three interceptions could be attributed to just not being ready for a top-tier defense.

Whatever the reason, the Raiders must get Jeanty going. Their offense will benefit greatly from a strong run game, which would then allow Smith to utilize play-action for big plays to Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. This franchise drafted Jeanty to improve their run game; now it is up to the coaches to commit to that and get him the touches he needs to succeed.

Raheem Mostert reveals advice to Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty

Ashton Jeanty also has some good veteran running backs around him to learn from as he gets his NFL career going with the Raiders, and Raheem Mostert recently discussed the advice he has given to the young back so far.