The NFL Draft rumor mill is churning at full speed with just days remaining before teams make their selections.
Among the rising stars generating serious buzz is Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty, whose draft stock has skyrocketed as front offices finalize their boards and strategies.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. recently made waves during his appearance on “Up & Adams,” where he shared his projections for the 2025 draft class.
Kiper highlighted Jeanty as a potential top-10 selection, suggesting the Las Vegas Raiders could target him with the sixth overall pick.
“Yeah, I keep hearing he might go a little high. I had him 6 (to the Raiders), they were saying, it’s too high for a running back at 6. Now you talk about Jacksonville maybe, New England maybe, he could be gone by 6. […] Now you got Pete coming in, he wants to run the football, […] Ashton Jeanty would be a great addition,” Kiper explained.
Mel Kiper’s most CONFIDENT RB predictions:
🏴☠️ Raiders at 6: RB Ashton Jeanty🐴 Broncos at 20: RB Omarion Hampton@heykayadams | @MelKiperESPN pic.twitter.com/vsKnSYdhkA
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 21, 2025
The potential pairing makes plenty of sense given the Raiders’ new direction under Pete Carroll.
The legendary coach brings a championship pedigree to Las Vegas after transforming USC into a college football powerhouse in the 2000s.
Carroll’s NFL resume spans over three decades, highlighted by his Super Bowl victory with the Seattle Seahawks in 2014.
Carroll’s football philosophy has always centered on establishing a dominant ground game, making Jeanty a natural fit for his system.
The Boise State standout delivered a historic 2024 campaign, finishing as the Heisman Trophy runner-up while amassing an eye-popping 2,601 rushing yards—the second-highest single-season total in FBS history.
Jeanty’s trophy case already includes both the Maxwell Award (nation’s best player) and the Doak Walker Award (top running back).
With Carroll’s proven track record of maximizing talent and Jeanty’s explosive playmaking ability, this potential partnership could quickly transform the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive identity.
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