There’s a reason NFL teams have shied away, in recent years, from drafting a running back with overly high picks. While the position is still important in the NFL, running backs can’t carry offenses on their backs in the same way they used to a couple of decades ago.
Plenty of things have to go right for running backs to have success in today’s NFL. Ashton Jeanty and the Las Vegas Raiders faced that reality check last season. Jeanty, the 6th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, had nowhere to run throughout his entire rookie season; thanks to a pitiful offensive line and an overall poor offensive environment.
Omar Young set to be hired as Raiders running backs coach
With a new head coach in Klint Kubiak and new quarterback in Fernando Mendoza coming in, Jeanty could be set up for a breakout season in 2026. He will also have a new position coach, as the Raiders are getting ready to name Omar Young as their next running backs coach; he will work directly with Jeanty to get the best out of him.
Young has quite an extensive track record as a coach despite being just 42 years old. His last gig was at the University of Iowa, where he was the running backs coach for the Hawkeyes during the 2025 season.
His NFL experience began in 2015, when he was an offensive assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns. He then spent two seasons as the Green Bay Packers’ offensive quality control coach. In 2022 and 2023, he took on a pair of roles with the Chicago Bears, before joining the New England Patriots as an offensive assistant coach in 2024.
As the RBs coach for Iowa this past season, Kamari Moulton had his best season so far, while Jazuin Patterson and Xavier Williams averaged 4.9 and 5.8 yards per carry, respectively.
Kubiak is hoping Young can work some magic with Jeanty, who averaged just 3.7 yards per carry as a rookie. While Young can certainly help, Jeanty’s success will ultimately come down to the Raiders’ offensive line. The running back can’t do everything himself.
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