Ashton Jeanty discusses new Raiders QBs, his own improvements in Boise visit
Former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty may not have enjoyed the success he’s been used to in his first season with the Las Vegas Raiders, but things may be looking up for the former Bronco in 2026.
Jeanty was drafted sixth overall by the Raiders in the 2025 NFL Draft, and despite an inaugural season that saw him lead all NFL rookies in rushing yards (975), the Raiders finished with the joint-worst record in the league at 4-13.
However, such a poor season for the Raiders did give them one thing: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That allowed Las Vegas to draft former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who led the Hoosiers to a historic undefeated season and national championship this past year. The Raiders also picked up veteran QB Kirk Cousins out of free agency, giving Jeanty two new quarterbacks to work with in 2026.
The 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up was back in Boise this weekend to attend the Hot Wheels Monster Truck event at Albertsons Stadium. He delighted the over 25,000 fans in attendance by briefly driving the BSU-themed “Smashton Jeanty” monster truck, and also promoted his new charitable foundation, Running 2 The Future.
He also found time to briefly speak about his newfound life in the NFL, including what he thinks of Mendoza and Cousins.
“They’re just bringing a great energy into the building. Obviously, Kirk brings experience, being a veteran in the league for a while,” Jeanty said.
“Fernando obviously did some special things in college,” he continued. “So he’s bringing that winning mentality and also leadership, but also learning and growing at the same time.”
It’s not just a pair of new quarterbacks that Jeanty has to look forward to. The Raiders will also head into next season with Klint Kubiak as their new head coach; Kubiak was previously the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks.
Kubiak’s style relies heavily on a strong running game and play-action passing, putting Jeanty back in the prime-time role he was accustomed to at Boise State. Kubiak’s RB1 in Seattle, Kenneth Walker III, became the first running back in 28 years to win Super Bowl MVP in the Seahawks’ 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots last February.
“Super excited,” Jeanty said. “We know Kubiak wants to run the ball, so as a running back, that’s all you can ask for.”
A run-heavy offense will likely see Jeanty improve on a rookie season that saw him record 321 plays from scrimmage — 266 carries and 55 receptions — across 17 games, which was good for 10 total touchdowns.
He said the biggest jump from college to the NFL was becoming accustomed to the speed, physicality and workload of a 17-game NFL season, and understanding how to build his “routine and process” around that.
With that transition period out of the way, he’s excited to work on specific parts of his game this offseason.
“Overall football IQ and understanding structures of the defense better,” Jeanty said. “Also (better) route running in the pass game and better blocking pass protection.”
