The Las Vegas Raiders opted against taking the path of a veteran quarterback with the signing of Geno Smith early in the offseason, a move that shifted the perspective of experts regarding what the team’s selection will be in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. Thus, the franchise in which Tom Brady is involved as a minority investor faces a momentous decision.
This is where a player like Ashton Jeanty comes in, who is considered by many to be the best running back in the class and should be taken early in this Draft, though others have warnings about it.
An analyst sees selecting Ashton Jeanty as a “mistake”
It makes a lot of sense to many that the former Boise State star be chosen with the sixth overall pick, but for others, like Craig Carton of FOX Sports, this would be a mistake.
“Not a knock on Jeanty, he is probably the best, certainly at running back in the draft,” the analyst said on Breakfast Ball on FOX Sports. “But when I say Raiders, do either of you say, man if they just had a running back, they would compete for a division title? No.”
“If you told me there is a bunch of bad a** guaranteed 10-year Pro Bowl left tackle, I would take him. Because from a value standpoint, how much better is Jeanty and I think he is great … than the next three best running backs in this draft. And when I view the Raiders man, I am saying to myself, they need a lot of help everywhere.”
“You have a running back in Josh Jacobs, you had an all-world wide receiver in Davante Adams, and you had a very competent veteran quarterback in Carr and you did not win a single playoff game.”
It’s no secret that Pete Carroll likes to have a strong running back in his system; he’s a head coach who loves to run the ball, and for many others, Ashton Jeanty is the ideal piece for the Raiders to return to the top of the NFL, or at least start competing.
Jeanty had one of the best seasons by a college running back in history, leading Boise State to the college football playoffs and being a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. With the running back position regaining relevance in the NFL last season, Jeanty stands at the top as the best running back.
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