Emmitt Smith has bad feeling about Ashton Jeanty on the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders went against the recent trend of not taking running backs with high draft picks.

They used the No. 6 selection to get Boise State star Ashton Jeanty in 2025, following one of the most impressive seasons in college football history.

Jeanty showed flashes of his explosiveness, recording 975 rushing yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season, but he was far from the tackle-breaking superstar he appeared to be in college. Of course, it wasn't all on him.

That's why legendary running back Emmitt Smith isn't so high on him as he enters his second year in the league. Simply put, he doesn't trust his offensive line and, much less, the Raiders. 

Emmitt Smith doesn't love Ashton Jeanty with the Raiders

“Just like kryptonite is Superman’s weakness, a poor offensive line can be a running back’s weakness, especially if you have jail breaks,” Smith told Heavy's Austin Boyd. 

Besides the shaky offensive line, Smith just doesn't think the Raiders are a good organization, especially when it comes to scouting and drafting talent.

He questioned the team's recent track record of success — or lack thereof — with some of the big-name prospects they've taken:

“You talk about Ashton Jeanty coming out of college and doing the things that he did in college, but he went to the Raiders. He went to the Raiders,” added Smith. “That’s all I have to say, he went to the Raiders. And the Raiders get enamored with Heisman Trophies. You know how many Heisman Trophy winners that the Raiders have drafted? And think about how many Heisman Trophy winners that they drafted are actually in the Hall of Fame. I mean, they drafted a ton of Heisman Trophy winners.”

That's fair, but things have to change at some point. The Raiders' offensive line is still suspect, but new head coach Klint Kubiak should help establish a more balanced offense.

Also, Kirk Cousins might be an upgrade over Geno Smith, and that will ultimately help Jeanty find more running lanes.

The Raiders are slowly but steadily trying to get back to contention. The jury is still out on Jeanty, but Smith just gave him some bulletin-board material ahead of his second year in the league.