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Ashton Jeanty

Raiders Could Both Sign And Draft A WR

April 12th, 2025 at 4:35pm CST by Ely Allen

While having a record-setter at tight end does kind of mask other shortcomings in the passing game for the Raiders, there still seems to be a noticeable need for help at wide receiver. According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, help could come through both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft this offseason. Per Reed, Las Vegas is likely to sign a veteran receiver, but it won’t prevent them from drafting one, as well.

The Raiders do currently roster starting-caliber wide receivers in Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, but after the departure of Davante Adams last year, they struggled to find contributions from a supporting cast of DJ Turner, Terrace Marshall, Alex Bachman, and company. Besides Meyers and Tucker, the returning roster in 2025 combined for only 56 total yards with contributions from Bachman (31 yards), Kristian Wilkerson (18), and Ramel Keyton (7). The only addition to the group so far has been former Titans wide receiver Kyle Phillips, who totaled 259 yards over two years in Tennessee and didn’t play last season.

There are a number of impact options the team could sign before or after the draft, depending on the approach they’d like to take. Spending more money on more established veterans by signing Keenan Allen or reuniting with Amari Cooper could allow them to take a later flyer in the draft on a wide receiver who may need time to develop. Otherwise, Las Vegas could fetch a bargain on veterans like Diontae Johnson, Tyler Lockett, Robert Woods, Nelson Agholor, DJ Chark, or Tyler Boyd, which would put more pressure on them to find a more impactful rookie receiver in the draft.

The team isn’t expected to go after a pass catcher in the first round. At No. 6 overall, the team has been linked more to options like Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, or Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker. More likely, Vegas could attempt to address wide receiver at the top of the second round, should they fail to land Allen or Cooper in free agency. At No. 37 overall, options like Texas’ Matthew Golden, Missouri’s Luther Burden, and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka could all be around, as they’re all considered to be fringe first-rounders.

Las Vegas has nine draft picks this year, so they should have plenty of other options throughout the three-day event. Meyers, 6-foot-2, is effective as a reliable possession receiver who excels at getting open in the slot, and Tucker, at 5-foot-9, is a more dynamic speedster with some deep ball potential.

With that in mind, the team could opt to add a big-bodied red-zone target. Players like TCU’s Savion Williams (just under 6-foot-4), Tennessee’s Dont’e Thornton (6-foot-4.5), or Arkansas’ Isaac TeSlaa (6-foot-3.5) could all be sizeable options as Day 3 picks. More versatile, mid-size options could be another area to look at for the Raiders. Prospects like TCU’s Jack Bech and Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor could be solid Day 2 options, while SEC pass catchers like Keandre Lambert-Smith (Auburn), Chimere Dike (Florida), and Arian Smith (Georgia) could be names to watch on Day 3.

However they choose to go about it, Las Vegas has plenty of options on the table for addressing their receiving corps. Whether they choose to bring in a big-name veteran and take a later flyer in the draft or sign a solid role-player and go after one of the draft’s better receiving prospects, there’s no shortage of possible combinations that we could see in silver and black next year.

Bears High On RB Ashton Jeanty

April 11th, 2025 at 4:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

D’Andre Swift was the first free agent to commit during last year’s legal tampering period. The Eagles had eyed a re-signing, but in a rather seminal development, their 2023 starter’s price tag moved outside their comfort zone. This sent Swift to Chicago (on a three-year, $24MM deal) and Saquon Barkley to Philly.

While not one of the forerunners of the 2024 running back resurgence, Swift skated to a quietly productive season with the Bears. He tallied a career-high 1,345 scrimmage yards, averaging 9.2 per catch and nearly reaching 1,000 on the ground. He has also shaken early-career injury concerns, missing just one game over the past two seasons. Swift now reunites with Ben Johnson, whose first OC season overlapped with Swift’s Detroit finale.

That year did not go especially well for Swift, who griped about his usage while Jamaal Williams took over lead-back duties. Now, Johnson’s staff may have their eyes on a major running back investment. The Bears are believed to “love” Ashton Jeanty, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes.

A Heisman runner-up who made a run at Barry Sanders‘ hallowed Division I-FBS single-season rushing record, Jeanty is widely expected to be the first running back off the board later this month. The Bears, Cowboys and Raiders scheduled visits with the dynamic Boise State product, who posted a staggering 2,601 rushing yards to go with 30 touchdowns. Travis Hunter‘s two-way season narrowly edged this transcendent RB performance, but Jeanty is not expected to go off the board too much later despite the former’s advantage in positional value. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board slots Jeanty third overall.

The Raiders hold the No. 6 overall pick, giving them an edge on a Bears team sitting 10th. The Cowboys check in 12th in Round 1. Swift’s contract also includes a $7.39MM base salary guarantee in 2025, though nothing is guaranteed beyond this season. Rostering Swift and a highly drafted back might not be a major issue for a Bears team that already remade its interior O-line in March and one that features a rookie-QB salary headlining its roster. But Chicago’s interest in Jeanty may also be tested; he is far from a lock to be there at No. 10.

Raiders To Host RB Ashton Jeanty

April 7th, 2025 at 9:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

Like all other teams, the Raiders are busy hosting several prospects in advance of this month’s draft. One of the players headed to Vegas this week is the top running back in the 2025 class.

The Raiders are set to host Ashton Jeanty, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He adds the Heisman runner-up will fly in tomorrow. Vegas owns the sixth overall pick in the draft, and as a result the team will likely be within range to select Jeanty.

Several mock drafts have linked team and player in this case, given the Raiders’ struggles on the ground last season. Year 1 of the post-Josh Jacobs era did not go according to plan, with Zamir White averaging only 2.8 yards per carry. Alexander Mattison was not much more efficient, and he has departed in free agency. Vegas added Raheem Mostert last month after he was cut by the Dolphins. The veteran figures to have a role on offense in 2025, but it would come as no surprise if a notable draft investment were to be made in the backfield.

Jeanty enjoyed an extremely productive tenure at Boise State, winning the Mountain West’s Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2023 and again last season. After totaling 2,729 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2024, Jeanty earned All-American honors and took home the Maxwell Award. The three-year Broncos contributor headlines a strong running back class, one which is expected to see North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton also hear his name called on Day 1.

Having already met with the Bears and Cowboys, Jeanty is not expected to fall outside the top 15-20 picks. He will likely be off the board well before that range, and the Raiders are certainly among the teams to watch with respect to selecting him. How the team proceeds will of course depend in part on how the upcoming visit goes.

Rapoport adds that Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is also slated to visit the Raiders. Vegas’ starting situation has been assured with the decision to trade for and extend Geno Smith, but the team could of course be in the market for adding a rookie past the opening round of the draft. Ewers – whose final Longhorns season included injuries and less-than-expected production – is one of many Day 2 prospects in the 2025 class; the Raiders own one pick in each of the second and third rounds.

2025 NFL Draft Visits: Schwesinger, Cowboys, Nolen, Ezeiruaku, Burden, Turner, Bond, Steelers, Emmanwori

April 6th, 2025 at 10:14pm CST by Ely Allen

This isn’t exactly a visit in the sense of top-30 visits, like most of the rest of bullets that follow this will be, but UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger held a private pro day earlier this week in Los Angeles and had 30 teams in attendance, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

While, obviously, not a comprehensive list, Schefter specifically mentions the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Chargers, and Broncos, and notes that the linebackers coaches from Dallas, New York, and New Orleans all met privately with Schwesinger.

Schwesinger is not currently the top-ranked linebacker prospect in most analysts’ eyes, but he often slides in as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the class behind Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell — third if you count Georgia defender Jalon Walker, who has the ability to play every linebacker spot at the next level. Some thought Schwesinger may sneak into the back end of the first round at the end of the month, but more likely is that he hears his name on Day 2. Per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, it would be surprising to see him fall past the first half of the second round.

Here are some more prospect-NFL team connections we’ve seen recent reports on:

  • The Cowboys have certainly been very busy in the runup to the 2025 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team held their invite-only “Dallas Day,” hosting draft prospects without the visits counting towards their top-30 visits. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton met with the team at “Dallas Day.” The well-balanced rusher continues to skyrocket up draft boards, is likely to join Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and has several other visits lined up.
  • Jeanty was also in attendance on Friday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. We had relayed that Jeanty would be taking a top-30 visit with the Cowboys, but it’s unclear whether this is what was meant in that original report. Also in attendance for “Dallas Day” were Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, TCU wide receivers Savion Williams and Jack Bech, Texas quarterback and offensive lineman Quinn Ewers and Cameron Williams, and Miami tight end and running back Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez.
  • Also in attendance at “Dallas Day” was Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Nolen will follow up his Dallas visit with a visit with the Panthers on Monday and a visit with the Bengals some other time this week.
  • Joining Nolen in Carolina on Monday will be Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, per Joe Person of The Athletic. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has been a hot topic with multiple scouts of late, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He’s currently viewed as an early-Day 2 prospect, and his stock continues to rise.
  • Speaking of another “Dallas Day” athlete, Wilson of KPRC 2 provided an updated list of teams that Turner, from Texas A&M, is set to visit with. We already noted his recent visit in New Orleans, but Wilson tells us that Turner has also visited the Texans and plans to visit the Ravens, Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals.
  • According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos hosted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden for a top-30 visit last week. The talented wideout fell off in 2024 after an incredible sophomore campaign with the Tigers, but his high ceiling makes him a borderline first-round prospect. Denver would love to bring in another talented weapon for young quarterback Bo Nix.
  • We already reported recent visits for Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, but we now have a couple sources adding some new locations for the Longhorn. Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Bond had dinner with the Bills before a private workout Friday and a top-30 visit as well as visits with the Browns and Packers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Bond has visits scheduled with the Chiefs and Titans, as well.
  • Brooke Pryor of ESPN tells us that the Steelers hosted a full house on Thursday. Prospects on hand last week included Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew.
  • Lastly, Pryor adds that Pittsburgh was one of the recent teams to host South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. The pre-draft standout had reportedly lined up visits with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Miami already. The Steelers’ interest in the Gamecock is no surprise as he’s trending towards being a Day 1 selection at this point.

Draft Rumors: Visits, Green, Nolen, RBs

March 25th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

As the 2025 NFL Draft continues to draw nigh, teams are beginning to do their due diligence on each prospect, including hosting several for visits.

A perfect example of this saw the Saints host a bevy of Longhorns for a dinner last night, per Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. The list of Texas prospects included possible first-rounders cornerback Jahdae Barron and wide receiver Matthew Golden as well as defensive tackle Vernon Broughton and quarterback Quinn Ewers.

The Saints weren’t the only team to spend time with Ewers yesterday, per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. Both the Jets and Raiders sent staffers to meet with the 22-year-old in Austin prior to the team’s pro day. Ewers has several visits planned following today’s pro day, as well, including meetings with the Cowboys, Colts, and Raiders, again, in early April.

Another potential Longhorn first-rounder, wide receiver Isaiah Bond, has also reportedly set up a number of visits following today’s pro day, per CJ Vogel of On Texas Football. Bond apparently has top-30 visits scheduled in the next month with the Falcons, Bears, Packers, and Rams.

Here are some more rumors concerning the 2025 NFL Draft:

  • East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. is making the rounds, as well. After previously meeting with New Orleans, Revel reportedly visited the Texans on Friday, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. Revel is attempting to make a speedy recovery from a torn ACL that ended his final collegiate season after only three games. He’s reportedly on track to be ready to return in time for training camp.
  • One of Revel’s top competitors at the position in this year’s class, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, is set to meet with the Raiders, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Johnson has already met with the Falcons and reportedly met with the Cardinals already, as well.
  • Already having met with the Saints and Falcons, Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. is set to meet with several other franchises, per Wilson. One of the top tackle options in the class, Conerly has visits planned with the Texans, Eagles, Commanders, Bengals, and Bears. Wilson adds that, at the NFL Scouting Combine, Conerly already formerly met with the Texans, Jets, Titans, Patriots, Raiders, Commanders, and 49ers.
  • Marshall’s pro day garnered a few more visitors than usual today, thanks to the presence of potential first-round pass rusher Mike Green. According to Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, while several teams sent personnel to check Green out, the Falcons sent most of their front office as well as head coach Raheem Morris. Pauline adds that the Commanders also held a significant presence at the pass rusher’s pro day.
  • Due to the draft being more deep than top-heavy, there are several prospects who receive a wide range of opinions on when and where they’ll go in the draft. According to Matt Miller of ESPN, though, no player has a wider range than Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Transferring within the conference from Texas A&M for the final year of his collegiate career, Nolen had a strong, consensus All-American season with the Rebels, totaling 48 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 14 tackles for loss. Despite the impressive performance, Miller claims that “teams are torn on (Nolen’s) lack of refined pass-rush moves,” resulting in projections from the top 10 all the way back to the second round.
  • Last year was the second time in the three years that we saw no running backs taken in the first round of the draft. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, we could see two running backs hear their names called on Day 1 of the event this year. A running backs coach told Schultz that “there’s no way (Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty) falls outside the top 15-20 picks.” Jeanty has been projected in multiple mock drafts to both the Raiders at No. 6 overall and the Cowboys at No. 12. While the position is deep, with players like Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, Ohio State’s duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Miami’s Damien Martinez, and several others, it’s North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton who may have played himself into the first round with Jeanty. Schultz claims that a personnel director told him the only thing Hampton needed to do in order to go in Round 1 was run in the 4.4’s at the combine, and Hampton ran a 4.46. He may not get taken as high as Jeanty, but he should still be considered a first-round candidate come the end of April.

Ashton Jeanty Plans To Visit Cowboys, Bears

March 1st, 2025 at 9:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Attention for all NFL prospects will soon turn away from the Combine to the next step in the pre-draft process. In the case of top running back Ashton Jeanty, he will draw considerable interest over the coming weeks.

Jeanty plans to take top-30 visits with the Cowboys and Bears, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. It comes as no surprise Dallas is among the teams which intends to host the Boise State standout. Jeanty himself said in November he would welcome the opportunity to play for his hometown team.

The Cowboys elected to attempt a committee approach in 2024 after allowing Tony Pollard to depart in free agency. A reunion with Ezekiel Elliott did not work as planned, although Rico Dowdle topped 1,000 rushing yards by handling by far the heaviest workload of his career. After Dallas ranked just 27th in the NFL in production on the ground, though, adding a new top back (especially if Dowdle departs in free agency) is an obvious goal, something which could come as early as the 12th overall pick in the draft.

The Bears (owners of the No. 10 selection) were among the numerous teams which made a splash on the veteran market last offseason. D’Andre Swift inked a three-year, $24MM deal in free agency and handled a career-high 295 touches during his debut Chicago campaign. The former Lion and Eagle’s base salary for 2025 ($7.93MM) will be guaranteed in full by March 17, so he will be counted on to remain a central figure in the Bears’ offense next year.

Chicago traded away Khalil Herbert midway through the 2024 season, while Travis Homer and Darrynton Evans are pending free agents. The team could therefore look to April’s draft to add depth behind Swift and Roschon Johnson. The 2025 class is lauded for its crop of running backs, however, so the Bears (and others) could wait until Day 2 or 3 and find impact players at the position.

Jeanty is seen as a first-round candidate based on his massive output during his time with the Broncos. His 2,601 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns in 2024 alone helped him earn a number of accolades, including an All-American nod and the Maxwell Award. The Heisman runner-up did not take part in on-field drills at the Combine, but he will do so at Boise State’s Pro Day. As the lead-in to the draft continues, visits with several other teams will no doubt be arranged.

RB Ashton Jeanty Opts Out Of On-Field Combine Drills

February 24th, 2025 at 1:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

It was learned yesterday that quarterback Shedeur Sanders will attend the upcoming NFL Combine but will not throw at the event. Several other players will no doubt do the same, and the top running prospect in the 2025 class is among them.

Ashton Jeanty will not participate in on-field work during the Combine, per an announcement from his agency (via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network). He will instead focus on interviews and medical checks over the coming days. Jeanty will then perform workouts during Boise State’s Pro Day.

In recent years, many of the top prospects have opted out of on-field work at the Combine and turned their attention to individual workouts later in the pre-draft process. Taking that route will likely have no ill effect on Jeanty’s stock based on his level of play during his college tenure. He enters the build-up to the draft as the consensus top RB in the class.

Across his three seasons with the Broncos, Jeanty produced several major statistical feats. He enjoyed a stellar 2024 campaign, averaging 7.0 yards per carry and racking up 2,739 scrimmage yards as the focal point of Boise State’s offense. Jeanty’s 30 total touchdowns brought his career mark to 56 and helped him earn All-American honors. The Heisman runner-up cemented his status as the No. 1 option at the running back position in a year where several other prospects are highly acclaimed.

Jeanty has spoken publicly about his desire to play for the Cowboys; Dallas owns the No. 12 selection, and it would come as no surprise if he were hear his name called near the middle of the first round. As Jeanty elects not to participate in the Combine, it will be interesting to see if some of the other running backs who received an invite do so in a bid to help their draft stock.

Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty Declares For Draft

January 7th, 2025 at 6:02pm CST by Ben Levine

The nation’s top running back prospect has officially declared for the NFL Draft. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty announced on X that he’s heading to the NFL for the 2025 season.

“I’m excited to announce I am declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft,” Jeanty said in part of his statement. “The opportunity to play in the NFL is a dream of mine, and I’m proud to represent Boise State and all of those who have helped me along the way at the next level.”

Following two productive seasons with the Broncos, Jeanty took his performance to another level in 2024. The running back ended up leading the FBS in rushing yards (2,601) and touchdowns (29), leading to him being runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

That performance also firmly put Jeanty on the NFL map. Jeanty wasn’t very involved in Boise State’s passing attack, but many pundits have labeled the prospect as a three-down back in the NFL. The prospect is all but certain to be the first RB off the board, and there’s also a good chance he hears his name called in the first round of the draft.

Teams have generally been wary of using first-round picks at the position in recent years, with only five RBs being selected in the first round since 2020 (Clyde Edwards-Helaire in 2020, Najee Harris and Travis Etienne in 2021, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs in 2023). Jeanty should be the latest inclusion to that exclusive list, and there shouldn’t be any shortage of suitors for the dynamic offensive player. The Cowboys have often been mentioned as a landing spot, especially since the player is a native of Frisco, Texas.

Top RB Prospect Ashton Jeanty Wants To Play For Cowboys

November 19th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The situation is dire in Dallas: the Cowboys are 3-7 and Dak Prescott is out for the season after hamstring surgery. However, there’s a silver lining to the team’s losing record: a potential top-10 pick in the 2025 draft, where the right pick could help kickstart a return to relevance.

The Cowboys are currently slotted for the ninth overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft after losing their last five games. That could be high enough to nab Boise State running back and Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty, who recently said he wanted to be drafted by the Cowboys, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota.

“My family is all in Texas. Family being there, all the connections, all the relationships, I feel like that would just be the perfect city to play in,” Jeanty said.

Past players who have expressed a desire to end up in Dallas include first-rounders Ezekiel Elliott and Micah Parsons, who were drafted by the Cowboys in 2016 and 2021, respectively.

Jeanty is expected to be a first-round pick next year, though his exact draft spot will reignite a recurring league-wide debate about running back value. Many teams have stopped using premium resources in the draft and free agency on an oft-injured position that has taken a back seat in modern passing-focused offenses. However, several teams have found success after recent investments in their backfield, either via free agency – Derrick Henry in Baltimore, Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia – or the draft – Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit and Bijan Robinson in Atlanta.

The Cowboys have been on both ends of that spectrum in the last decade. They drafted Elliott with the fourth overall pick in 2016 and gave him an early extension in 2019 that would have kept him in Dallas until 2026. His six-year, $90MM deal included more than $50MM of guaranteed money, which remains a record for NFL running backs, per OverTheCap.

However, the Cowboys released Elliott after the 2022 season and have invested precious little in their backfield since. Current starter Rico Dowdle was an undrafted free agent signing in 2020 and Elliott returned this spring on a one-year, $2MM deal. 2023 fifth-round pick Deuce Vaughn doesn’t profile as a future lead back at 5-foot-6 and 176 pounds, and Dalvin Cook has only earned two elevations from the practice squad.

That leaves the future of Dallas’ running game in doubt, with plenty of touches to be taken that could belong to Jeanty if he falls to the Cowboys in the draft. He put together 2,892 yards and 26 touchdowns from scrimmage with an average of 6.7 yards per touch in his first two years at Boise State. This season, his FBS-leading 256 carries, 1,893 rushing yards, and 27 total touchdowns have placed him as a frontrunner in the Heisman race, which would only bolster his case to be a top-10 pick next April.