It started with a whisper. During a routine chat at the NFL Combine, Raiders GM Tom Telesco leaned in to discuss potential first-round targets. Across from him sat one of the NFL’s most respected minds: Pete Carroll. The conversation was ordinary-until it wasn’t.
As Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty came up, Carroll reportedly paused, looked Telesco in the eye, and dropped two words: “Be sure.” Just like that, the draft room energy shifted.
Carroll, known for his long run with the Seahawks and his knack for evaluating under-the-radar talent, didn’t elaborate. He didn’t have to. Those two words landed heavy in a room already buzzing with pressure and possibility.
Telesco’s Raiders are holding the No. 6 pick, and Jeanty’s name has been rising in conversations for weeks. A breakout star with elite speed, vision, and versatility, Jeanty could bring an instant spark to any offense. But a top-10 pick? That’s a move that could define an era-for better or worse.
The Raiders’ most recent pressurized Draft decision
Some around the league saw Carroll’s comment as a subtle endorsement. Others? A veiled red flag. “Pete doesn’t waste words,” said ESPN’s Matt Miller.“When he says something like that, it’s layered. It’s not just about talent-it’s about fit, system, mentality.”
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah echoed that on Move the Sticks: “There’s a difference between a good player and the right player. That’s what Carroll was getting at.”
As the draft nears, the Raiders’ war room is reportedly still weighing its options. But one quiet moment between two NFL veterans now looms large. Not because it was loud-but because it didn’t have to be.
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