Ashton Jeanty to Las Vegas? Why an ESPN draft expert expects him to be a Raider
Start adding Las Vegas Raiders jerseys to your online shopping carts, Bronco fans.
The NFL Draft may not be until April 24, but according to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., it would “be a surprise” if former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty didn’t end up in Las Vegas. Kiper released his latest mock draft on Tuesday, predicting that Jeanty would go to the Raiders with the sixth overall pick.
“It would be a surprise if he didn’t go to Vegas,” Kiper told the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday. “And I say Vegas because they couldn’t run the football.”
The Raiders endured a horrid 2024 season running the football. They ranked last in the league in rushing yards per game (79.8) and yards per rush (3.6), and tied for the second-fewest in runs of 10 or more yards with 34.
While the Raiders’ run game was hitting a brick wall, Jeanty spent the fall running through brick walls: He ended the Boise State season with 2,601 rushing yards, the second-most in a single season in college football history.
Las Vegas signed unrestricted free agent Raheem Mostert last month after the Miami Dolphins released the 33-year-old running back. The 10-year NFL vet will add much-needed experience to Las Vegas’ run game, but Kiper expects new Raiders coach Pete Carroll will want to improve the run game even further.
Kiper said he typically isn’t a fan of picking a running back in the first round, but given the Raiders’ needs and Jeanty ranked as the No. 4 player in Kiper’s rankings, he thinks the pick would make sense.
He also says a team should only pick a running back if they’re ready to compete. With the addition of quarterback Geno Smith, along with returning wide receiver Jakobi Myers and tight end Brock Bowers, Kiper thinks a top-tier running back is the next step for Las Vegas.
“I don’t think the Raiders are going into the season thinking they’re going to be a four-win team,” Kiper said. “And I think Jeanty can certainly be a Rookie of the Year candidate.”
It’s no secret that the Raiders are a fan of Jeanty, either. Raiders general manager John Spytek was the only NFL GM to attend Boise State’s Pro Day. Spytek also told the NFL’s SiriusXM radio show that his son told him, “if we don’t pick Ashton Jeanty at No. 6, that he’s walking out of the family and he’s going to find somebody else.”
If Jeanty were to fall below the sixth overall pick unexpectedly, Kiper said, the Chicago Bears are a potential landing spot for him. Kiper expects the Bears are looking at a running back in the second round, but if Jeanty fell to them at the 10th overall pick, it would be tough to turn him down.
Jeanty isn’t the only former Bronco whom Kiper expects to go in the draft. Defensive end Ahmed Hassanein impressed at the NFL Scouting Combine, and Kiper expects him to be drafted in the fifth or sixth round.
“I think he could make a team as a developmental pass rusher,” Kiper said. “The kid’s got talent. He hustles, plays hard, and I think a defensive line coach will look at him as a good project.”
This story was originally published April 9, 2025 at 3:45 PM.
