The 2025 NFL Draft is approaching and Ashton Jeanty is one of the best prospects on the board. This is a breakdown of how Jeanty profiles for the NFL and where he could potentially land.
Ashton Jeanty NFL Draft Profile
Jeanty is one of the best prospects in the NFL Draft and is likely to be the first running back taken off the board.
Physical Traits/College Film
Jeanty is one of the biggest names in the 2025 NFL Draft. The running back out of Boise State was the 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up after his historic season. Jeanty finished the season with 2,601 rushing yards, the second-most in a single season in college football history behind only Barry Sanders. Not only did Jeanty have a fantastic individual season, but he also led Boise State to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. Jeanty is a unique running back with traits that should translate to the next level right away.
Jeanty is a short, compact running back but has great speed as well. He has a tremendous talent for breaking tackles but it’s not because he is a “bruiser” in the traditional sense. Jeanty has some of the best contact balance you will ever see from a running back. He is incredibly strong, especially in his legs, and that allows him to absorb contact and not be knocked off course. If you hit him high, he will simply keep running with little to no effect. If you hit him low, he can power through most arm tackles and keep going. It takes a full wrap-up, usually from multiple players, to take Jeanty down.
He was such a force at Boise State that he was often met with loaded boxes. Despite that, his numbers almost never dipped and he found ways to pick up 5-6 yards per carry even when the defense knew exactly what was coming. Jeanty wasn’t heavily utilized as a receiver but at the NFL level, teams will likely use him more in passing scenarios. He is the type of player that you want to get the ball in open space, just to let him run through opposing defenses. In the NFL, Jeanty can be an every-down running back with the ability to run down-to-down, break explosive runs, pass block and catch the ball out of the backfield.
NFL Comparisons
Realistic Comp: Bijan Robinson – The current running back that Jeanty reminds me of the most is Bijan Robinson. Robinson is perceived as more of a speedster and Jeanty as more physical, but they are actually a very similar size. Jeanty is 5’9, 216 pounds, and Robinson is 5’11, 220 pounds. Robinson just had a phenomenal sophomore season with Atlanta, finishing fourth in the NFL in rushing yards and fifth in rushing touchdowns. Like Jeanty, Robinson is an every-down back who can do every job you would want a running back to do. He can grind out drives with chunk carries but is capable of breaking a long run at any time. Both players have elite contact balance and that is what makes them so hard to stop.
Ceiling Comp: LaDainian Tomlinson – If everything goes right for Jeanty, he could have a career similar to Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson. Tomlinson was 5’10, 216 pounds in his playing days, almost identical to Jeanty. Tomlinson was a revolutionary running back because of his ability to be a down-to-down back who could also break massive runs and be a pass-catcher. He also had elite contact balance just like Jeanty, and that made him nearly impossible to tackle, despite not being the biggest back. He was one of the first running backs to be an elite receiver out of the backfield, while also being an elite every down back. If Jeanty can go to an offense where they know how to use him as a pass-catcher, his ceiling is the NFL Hall of Fame.
Potential Landing Spots
These are the two most likely landing spots for Ashton Jeanty:
No. 6 Las Vegas Raiders – This is likely the earliest Jeanty could go off the board. The teams picking in the top five have much bigger issues to address to be able to take a running back. That also brings up the biggest mystery around Jeanty: the devaluation of the running back. It’s been a point of controversy for a few years now. Saquon Barkley’s success on the Eagles leading to a Super Bowl last season caused people to say “running backs are back.” However, Barkley actually proved why running backs are devalued in the draft. The Giants drafted Barkley second overall and they were largely a horrible team with Barkley as their best player for the duration of his Giants career. Even a running back as incredible as Barkley could not make the Giants a winner, but once he went to a roster that was just a piece or two away from winning, he could make them a Super Bowl contender.
So, the argument is, should a team like the Raiders that is still far away from being a winner take the most talented player available or the player that could make them win the fastest? The Raiders likely need to bring in a quarterback, and they could do that in the draft, free agency or trade market. If they bring in a veteran quarterback, they could feel more confident in their ability to win now. That would give them the freedom to take the most talented player available in Jeanty. With an experienced quarterback, Brock Bowers and Jeanty, the Raiders could be a scary offense to face.
No. 12 Dallas Cowboys – This seems to be the most likely landing spot for Jeanty. The Cowboys are a team that believes that they can compete right away. After a null-and-void season with Dak Prescott going down with an injury, they have a solid draft position but also a much better roster than most teams picking around them. They can afford the luxury of adding Jeanty to an offense that already has CeeDee Lamb. With a healthy Prescott throwing to Lamb, the Cowboys need a good running game to balance out their offense. They are missing that at the moment and Jeanty could unlock that for them like Ezekiel Elliott did early on in his career. Jerry Jones would also love to make a big splash by bringing in a notable and well-liked player.
No. 20 Denver Broncos – If the running back devaluation causes Jeanty to slip in the draft, this is likely as far as he would fall. The Broncos had the best defense in the NFL last season and made the jump to the postseason with a rookie quarterback much faster than anyone expected. They are in a position to “win now” while paying a quarterback rookie money. Adding an elite running back like Jeanty would make life easier for Bo Nix and could allow Nix to thrive in the play-action game. This is a move that could take the Broncos from Wild Card team to contending with the Chiefs for the AFC West and winning playoff games.
