Ashton Jeanty won’t be able to do what he does best for quite some time — make tacklers wish they never even thought of putting a hand on him.
So not much can be read into Jeanty breaking free into the open field at the Raiders’ rookie camp on Friday, but Las Vegas hopes it’s at least a preview of what’s to come.
The Raiders placed a lot of faith in Jeanty, the Heisman Trophy runner-up out of Boise State, by drafting him sixth last month. He was the highest-drafted running back since the New York Giants took Saquon Barkley second in 2018.
Jeanty also received a four-year, $35.9 million contract that includes a $22.7 million signing bonus, his agent, Henry Organ, said. His $8.97 million annual salary is the 11th-highest among running backs, according to Over the Cap.
He called it a “lifelong dream” to even be in an NFL rookie practice.
“To finally be out here, get to work with the team — it’s just exciting,” Jeanty said.
Jeanty fits the profile of a Pete Carroll-coached team. Carroll relied on a similar type of back in Seattle, and Marshawn Lynch was instrumental in the Seahawks making back-to-back Super Bowls and winning one. His rugged running style and 5-foot-11, 215-pound frame made tackling him an often painful experience for defenders.
At 5-foot-8, 211, Jeanty used a similar bruising style in leading the nation with 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. More telling, he rushed for 1,970 yards after contact, which by itself would have led the FBS.
That’s why the Raiders decided to use such a high pick on a running back, even though it goes against the general current thinking. They could have addressed a different position at No. 6 and still taken a quality running back later in what was a deep draft at the position, but found a potential generational type of player too difficult to pass up.
Especially for a team that had the worst ground game in the NFL last season, averaging 79.8 yards per game.
“It’s one of those deals where it meets the need and the best player meet together,” general manager John Spytek said the night the Raiders drafted Jeanty. “You kind of feel like that’s a perfect storm at that point too, and it’s just too much to ignore at that point. He’s the perfect player for us this year, and we were thrilled to make him a Raider.”
And now Jeanty is getting his first taste of the NFL with other players who are also beginning to learn what it takes at this level.
One of his new teammates, offensive lineman Caleb Rogers, played against Jeanty in Texas high school scrimmages and runs in much the same social circle.
“I had players who played with him,” said Rogers, a third-round draft pick out of Texas Tech. “So just hearing a lot about him, I’m excited to continue to be around him, see how he works, see how he’s a pro. I’ve heard a lot about how he approaches the game and how he does a great job, and so I’m excited just be a part of that.”
Rogers, though, said he doesn’t remember those early interactions with Jeanty.
“I don’t because he happened to have (Denver wide receiver) Marvin Mims on his team,” Rogers said. “He has the record for high school football receiving yards, so he was kind of doing his thing back then.”
Jeanty hopes to give Rogers and the rest of his new teammates performances they won’t be able to forget.
They are excited to have him. Star defensive end Maxx Crosby live-streamed his podcast on the first night of the draft with center Jackson Powers-Johnson. Both were ecstatic when the Raiders selected Jeanty, with Crosby pumping his right fist and Powers-Johnson raising both arms and yelling.
There is also video of Powers-Johnson meeting Jeanty, embracing him and saying, “I’m your center.”
Expectations are certainly high inside and outside the Raiders facility. Now it’s a matter of whether Jeanty meets them. He has a long way to go, but Friday was a start.
“Getting out just seeing everything, how it all works,” Jeanty said.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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