Boise State Broncos RB Ashton Jeanty had a spectacular 2024 season, and many are expecting him to go high in the NFL Draft.
Ashton Jeanty Is the Top Running Back Prospect in the NFL Draft, but Is He Worth a Top-10 Pick?
It was a record-breaking 2024 season for the Broncos. With the NFL season now wrapped up, attention has turned towards the NFL Draft, and Jeanty’s stock is slowly gaining traction.
Saquon Barkley was a key component of the Philadelphia Eagles and their Super Bowl win. Other NFL running backs such as Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs have shown that the ability to be effective in the pass and rush game is vital to a team’s success.
This has led to many thinking Jeanty can be a really important piece to a team changing their fortunes around.
The junior running back rushed for 2,601 yards and scored 29 touchdowns. His receiving stats were down slightly to 23 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown, but in 2023, he had 43 receptions for 569 yards and five touchdowns.
This ability to be a presence in both has led to some believing Jeanty is absolutely worth a top-10 pick due to his hands and ability out of the backfield.
Ashton Jeanty is so much more than just a running back.
He is one of the best receiving back prospects of All-Time.
Think of a runner like Saquon, with the hands and ability out of the backfield as C-MAC
He is absolutely worth a top 10 pick.
— CJ (@Th3GhostRaider) February 14, 2025
The accolades came flying in for the running back in 2024. He picked up the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Unanimous All-American, Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-Mountain West.
In Boise State’s season opener against Georgia Southern, Jeanty rushed for 267, breaking the 46-year-old school record, and scored six touchdowns, which tied the Mountain West record. Come the end of the regular season, he led the country in scrimmage yards and rushing yards, as well as second in rushing touchdowns and total scoring.
Jeanty led the Broncos to a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff before falling to Penn State in the quarterfinals. As a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, he is now among the top prospects and is expected to go early in the NFL Draft in April.
How Do Mock Drafts Rank Ashton Jeanty?
CSN’s very own mock draft by Max Dorsey has Jeanty going to the Las Vegas Raiders at the sixth pick. The Raiders drastically need a quarterback, but they find themselves just outside the top picks.
Unless they find a way to trade up, adding Jeanty to an offense with second-year Brock Bowers is something to build on in Las Vegas.
ESPN’s Field Yates has Jeanty being selected at No. 20 to the Denver Broncos. It is hard to see him falling that far with how good he can be both straight away and in the long term.
Should he find his way down to Denver at 20, adding him to a playoff team that has QB Bo Nix heading into his second season, they could be a real threat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards and Pro Football Focus’ Trevor Sikkema both have Jeanty going to the Dallas Cowboys. Adding Jeanty to an offense that relies heavily on CeeDee Lamb will be a huge weight off his shoulders.
A game-changing running back would be huge for Dallas, but they still have questions over their quarterback situation and first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Where Jeanty goes depends on whether certain teams feel they have other needs bigger than that in the backfield. We have seen in the NFL in recent years that teams have been spending cheaply on running backs, and that has led to many feeling undervalued. Barkley, Henry, Robinson, and Co. have changed that outlook. Jeanty could easily be a part of that group.
Many of the top 10 picks do have their running back situation sorted, but the Raiders and Carolina Panthers could be two teams to look out for.
KEEP READING: Scouting Reports on the Top 100 Prospects
Should Jeanty be available at pick 12, then it feels as though he is destined to be a Cowboy. Other teams may look at moving up if they feel Jeanty can be franchise-altering.
Jeanty is a bona fide superstar, and his talent is more than worth a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. The question now depends on what front offices want to do, but whoever drafts him is getting a stud at running back.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
