Apr 25, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft Ashton Jeanty, speaks to the media at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Why Jeanty Will Make a Big Impact on the Raiders

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated May 8, 2025 1:30 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of incoming rookies; they used 11 draft picks, and that's not including the undrafted free agents who were invited to minicamp. Yet, it's hard for any of them to compare to the excitement surrounding Ashton Jeanty.

It's completely understandable why there is so much buzz around Jeanty. He was a Heisman award finalist and is coming off one of the most electric seasons in college football history from any position, much less running back.

He's the first pick the Raiders made under the new regime of John Spytek and Pete Carroll, so he's a herald of a new age for Raiders Nation. In every interview he's a part of, he's quick to shout out his family and all the people who've helped him get to this point, which shows he's a good person on and off the field.

As soon as Jeanty was in the building for the Raiders, they made sure to welcome him with warmth and Raiders legends like Marcus Allen to surround him in the culture and remind him of the legacy he's inheriting.

The vibes are high in Las Vegas, and Raiders Nation is looking to Jeanty to lead them out of this slump they've been in these past couple of years and back to a team that's competing year in and year out.

Not only is he the rookie with the most buzz surrounding him for the Raiders, but he also has the potential to be the most impactful for Las Vegas. Carmen Vitali is an NFL reporter, and for an article published on FOX Sports, she discusses the most impactful rookies for each team next season. It should come as no surprise that Jeanty is who she picks for the Raiders.

"An offense that includes Brock Bowers and now Ashton Jeanty is going to be so fun. The Raiders also have a veteran at quarterback who is fully capable of distributing the ball and extending plays. I’m so excited to see how Jeanty is used".

Jeanty will play a huge role in the quick turnaround the Raiders will have next season, and he'll be one of the cornerstone pieces for the Raiders to build off of year after year. By the time his career is done, hopefully, Jeanty will be considered a Raiders legend, at least that's how they're preparing for him and his rookie campaign.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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