Latest news with #AshtonJeanty
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
2025 Rookie Stat Prediction: Ashton Jeanty
The Las Vegas Raiders made a tempo setting move when they took Memphis running back Ashton Jeanty at the top end of round one in the 2025 NFL Draft. A Heisman finalist and one of the best players in the country, Jeanty is a slam dunk for a team wanting to forge a new identity under head coach Pete Carroll. With Las Vegas boasting a new quarterback in Geno Smith who can put up the deep ball as well as anyone in the league, Jeanty should have plenty of opportunity with teams unable to load the box against him. Given Jeanty should be the easily number one back on the team, and that he should be the tempo setting engine that makes the offense move, he should see plenty of action throughout the season and be one of the leagues most productive backs. Given his skillset and the amount of opportunity he will get, expect Jeanty to be the heavy favorite for 'Offensive Rookie of the Year' as he should be one of the top producers at his position. Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Prediction: 1,300 rush yards, 550 receiving yards, 14 touchdowns This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: 2025 Rookie Stat Prediction: Ashton Jeanty
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Rookie Stat Prediction: Ashton Jeanty
2025 Rookie Stat Prediction: Ashton Jeanty The Las Vegas Raiders made a tempo setting move when they took Memphis running back Ashton Jeanty at the top end of round one in the 2025 NFL Draft. A Heisman finalist and one of the best players in the country, Jeanty is a slam dunk for a team wanting to forge a new identity under head coach Pete Carroll. With Las Vegas boasting a new quarterback in Geno Smith who can put up the deep ball as well as anyone in the league, Jeanty should have plenty of opportunity with teams unable to load the box against him. Given Jeanty should be the easily number one back on the team, and that he should be the tempo setting engine that makes the offense move, he should see plenty of action throughout the season and be one of the leagues most productive backs. Given his skillset and the amount of opportunity he will get, expect Jeanty to be the heavy favorite for 'Offensive Rookie of the Year' as he should be one of the top producers at his position. Prediction: 1,300 rush yards, 550 receiving yards, 14 touchdowns
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Why new Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty 'wasn't willing' to give up No. 2 jersey
Why new Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty 'wasn't willing' to give up No. 2 jersey Show Caption Hide Caption Ashton Jeanty paid six figures to fellow Raider for number 2 USAT's Tyler Dragon asks about the amount of money new Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty paid for his number 2. Sports Seriously The number two is extremely important to Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. 'It just means a lot to me and my family. A lot of my family who played sports wore No. 2,' Jeanty told USA TODAY Sports, during a promotional appearance with Sharpie. 'Then I was born on December 2. The legacy, the greatness, and I was born that day. There's just a lot of meaning behind it. And for the brand, I wasn't willing to give it up.' Jeanty wore No. 2 at Lone Star High School in Frisco, Texas, and at Boise State, where he became the school's all-time leading rusher, achieved the second-highest single-season rushing total in FBS history and was a Heisman Trophy finalist. When the Raiders selected Jeanty in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, he wanted to wear No. 2 at all costs. Literally. Jeanty negotiated with Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson for the number. Carlson had worn No. 2 for the past five seasons. The kicker sported No. 8 when he first joined the Raiders in 2018 but changed to No. 2 to accommodate Marcus Mariota when the QB arrived. Fast forward to now, Carlson is going back to No. 8 because Jeanty paid a hefty price for the number. Jeanty told Kay Adams this week on "Up and Adams" that he paid six figures for the number. The running back confirmed the price tag to USA TODAY Sports. 'It's true,' Jeanty said. Jeanty wouldn't specify the exact amount he paid for his beloved number, but the running back did say Carlson could purchase a luxury car. 'He could buy a nice Mercedes,' a smiling Jeanty said. The Raiders officially signed Jeanty to his rookie contract on May 8. His contract is worth a total value of $35.9 million, so it's safe to say he could afford the six-figure amount he paid Carlson. Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NFL Draft: Our favorite bets ahead of Thursday night's first round
The 2025 NFL Draft is almost here and there are plenty of scenarios to bet on at BetMGM. The sportsbook has markets from first overall pick — Cam Ward has overwhelming odds to go No. 1 to the Titans — to the first team to draft an offensive lineman (hint: probably the New England Patriots). With Thursday's first round just days away, here are some of our favorite bets for the first 32 picks. Nick Bromberg: The Carolina Panthers need an outside linebacker. They have been looking for stability at the position since the departure of Thomas Davis after 13 seasons in 2018. Why not try to find the next Davis from the same school? Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker is +145 to go at No. 8, the spot the Panthers currently hold in the draft. Carolina could be a team looking to trade back, especially if another team feels it needs to jump the New Orleans Saints to get a quarterback like Shedeur Sanders. But with the lack of action in the first round so far — and the depth of this draft making teams maybe want to trade around much more outside the top 15 — Walker feels like a great bet if the Panthers stay put. Frank Schwab: This draft could get wild. There's not much separation between players who will go in the bottom half of the top 10 and those who will go 20 or more picks later. Some bets with long odds will cash. I'm looking for a way to fade the consensus pick of Ashton Jeanty at No. 6. I don't buy that the Raiders will pick a running back that high. They have too many other needs. And there's a chance Jeanty could end up in the top five. Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou is +300 to go sixth overall, and he fits a big need. I think cornerback Jahdae Barron (+3000) is worth a shot, too. Remember, Pete Carroll's Seattle Seahawks routinely made picks nobody saw coming. NB: The Super Bowl champions could follow a familiar draft plan at the conclusion of Thursday night's first round. The Eagles lost Milton Williams to free agency and Brandon Graham to retirement after they took down the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Howie Roseman has never been shy about drafting defensive linemen, and while the Eagles still have plenty of talent up front, they do have a couple of gaps to fill. That's why I love the Eagles taking a defensive lineman or edge rusher with their first pick at -105. The defensive line is one of the deepest positions in this draft, and there should be plenty of options available for Philly. Especially if the Chiefs go with an offensive lineman at No. 31. Kansas City is -105 to take an offensive lineman and +160 to take a defensive lineman. FS: I thought Saints picking quarterback first was a good play, but that went from +300 to -160 with the news Derek Carr might not play this season. So move on to the 10th pick and the Bears. Unless Ashton Jeanty falls, tight end seems like a good bet for Chicago. The Bears taking a tight end first is +310, and it doesn't matter if the Bears prefer Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland. NB: I don't think Jeanty makes it out of the top 10 and could go exactly at No. 10. That's the spot the Bears currently occupy and it's way too easy to envision former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson drafting Jeanty to pair with D'Andre Swift in the backfield like Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery in Detroit. Could someone jump ahead of the Bears to pick Jeanty? Absolutely. The Raiders make sense at No. 6. But like Frank said earlier, Las Vegas has far too many needs to pick a running back at No. 6. The Bears at +450 feels like great value … but watch out for Jacksonville. The Jaguars are suddenly the co-favorites to land Jeanty along with the Raiders at +120. Do the markets know something we don't? FS: The Broncos haven't been shy that they're drafting a running back. Omarion Hampton would be fine at No. 20. But Sean Payton has a long history of moving up, especially to get a player he covets. Everyone agrees Jeanty is on a different plane than Hampton. I think Payton and the Broncos make a very bold move up, and trade into the top 10, maybe even the top five, to get Jeanty. The Broncos drafting Jeanty is +1500 (a shift from +2000 last week) and I'm buying it. And if that happens, grab Jeanty to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, too. [Related: 'A necessary evil' — Why bookmakers hate the NFL Draft] NB: There's no player with a bigger first-round variation than Sanders. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go at No. 2 or No. 22. It all depends on what team likes his skill set and needs a quarterback. The Browns are favored at +200, though Sanders' college teammate Travis Hunter seems to make more sense in Cleveland. The most logical outcome feels like the Saints at +350, but I have little confidence in that. If you wanted to make a small-dollar flier, Sanders to the Raiders at +1200 could be worth a shot. Las Vegas really needs a quarterback. FS: Make no mistake, where Sanders lands will be the story of the draft. And we're no closer to answering that question than we were a couple of months ago. I still think the Saints take him, but I don't discount the noise that they prefer Jaxson Dart. There's a reason the Sanders-to-Saints line moved from +120 to +350 over the weekend. If the Saints pick Dart — or pass on both of them because they'd rather lose a lot of games and be in the Arch Manning sweepstakes next year — then good luck projecting Sanders' landing spot. Steelers at +250 is worth a shot. I have little confidence in any pick here. NB: Tetairoa McMillan is +300 to go in the top 10, and you can make a case for him for numerous teams. The Jaguars could use another pass-catcher, and he'd pair well with Brian Thomas. Even though I like Jalon Walker to Carolina, the Panthers would be well served with another wideout for Bryce Young's development. And the Saints could use him too, if they don't go with a quarterback or an offensive lineman. For clarity, we defined a long shot as anyone with plus odds to go in the top 10. BetMGM had seven players outside of Cam Ward (Will Campbell, Mason Graham, Ashton Jeanty, Jalon Walker, Armond Membou, Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Warren) with better than even-money odds to get picked in the top 10. FS: NFL teams are risk averse. And Michigan cornerback Will Johnson has risk. Johnson missed the last half of last season with a turf toe injury, then didn't run the 40 due to injuries in pre-draft workouts. Why risk it when Texas' Jahdae Barron has fewer questions and comparable talent? Barron is 9-to-1 to be a top 10 pick. I think he'll be the first cornerback drafted, which puts him in play in the top 10, too. I'll also mention Colston Loveland at +450 as a top-10 pick, because he and Tyler Warren seem to be 1a and 1b at the tight end position, and all it would take is a team like the Bears preferring Loveland and taking him. It's also possible Warren and Loveland both end up as top-10 picks. NB: I'll go out on a limb and say that the run on quarterbacks will happen in the second round and the under is the play. I do think that Shedeur Sanders is ultimately a first-round pick, but he could be waiting a bit for his name to be called. Players like Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe feel like prime candidates to go on Friday. I'd be more confident in three quarterbacks in the first round if Tyler Shough, 25, was a few years younger. Shough, who was born in 1999, has become a pre-draft favorite with his talent as a passer. But he just finished his seventh season of college football and the 2024 season with Louisville was the first time he'd played in 12 games. It wouldn't be a shock if Shough was the third QB taken. He'd be a first-round pick if he were 22 years old. FS: I think a third quarterback will probably go in the first round. Desperation and all. Last week, the odds were way off. The over of 2.5 quarterbacks in the first round was -500. That was corrected in a big way, with the odds on the over shifting to -185 over the weekend. That seems like a more accurate line. There are paths in which only two quarterbacks (maybe even one?) go in the first round. It's not like Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe or anyone else has a clear first-round grade. Under 2.5 QBs in the first round, which had +340 odds last week, shifted to +140. Even if you think three or more go in the first round, there are many paths in which that doesn't happen. The value is gone in the over, but I still think that's the right side at plus odds.
New York Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Raiders OTAs: Ashton Jeanty's unique stance, Christian Wilkins' health and more
HENDERSON, Nev. — During his final season at Boise State, running back Ashton Jeanty went viral for his unique backfield stance. Instead of standing hunched over with his hands on his thighs like most running backs, he would stand up straight before the snap. It served a purpose. Jeanty, who's only 5-foot-8, said it allowed him to get a better view of the defensive alignment. In OTAs with the Las Vegas Raiders, however, Jeanty has pivoted to using a more prototypical stance. It came at the suggestion of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who believes it gives him a stronger base to explode out of once the ball is snapped. 'He won for now,' Jeanty said last week in an interview with NFL Network's Kay Adams. 'I'm going to try and persuade him one day. I have to earn my stripes and make some plays first, but I don't think it's going to be the end (of my stance).' There isn't much going on at this time in the NFL calendar, so it sparked some outrage among Raiders fans on social media. They feared the switch would make Jeanty a less effective runner. As he spoke to reporters following practice Wednesday, Raiders coach Pete Carroll made it clear that he's heard the chatter. When asked about Jeanty's development, the coach playfully bent over in a stance of his own. 'I really like the stance that he is in.' Pete Carroll on Ashton Jeanty's RB stance. 🎥: @MikeDixon_VST | #RaiderNation — Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) May 21, 2025 'I really like that stance he's in,' Carroll said with a smile. 'He's doing great. He really is. He's right on point with everything that we're doing. He's studying really hard. He's been really diligent about all aspects. There's nothing that he doesn't find important. He's going to work hard on his pass protection and his third-down work and see if he can contribute in that kind of role, as well. We're not holding anything back on him.' Advertisement Here are some more serious observations from Wednesday's practice, which was the second of 10 voluntary OTAs the Raiders will have this offseason. • Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was at practice Wednesday, but he didn't run during the stretching period or participate in any drills as he continues to rehab from a Jones fracture in his left foot. Wilkins had surgery to repair the fracture last October, so it's been about seven months since the procedure. Wilkins was placed in a walking boot immediately following his surgery, but he'd gotten out of it by the end of the season. He was placed back in a walking boot earlier this offseason, but he was back out of it by the start of OTAs. With him not participating in individual or team drills, it would appear he still has a way to go in his rehab. 'This has been a difficult recovery,' Carroll said. 'He's done everything he needs to do. He's been here every day. He's here early working hard, but we're still working on it. He's not ready to get back out (there). We're in the midst of a long, challenging process here. Fortunately, there's a lot of time. … He's been onboard the whole time, but it has been challenging.' • The Raiders had most of their 90-man roster participating in practice. The most notable absence was defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who's still rehabbing from the torn ACL he suffered last September. 'It was difficult — physically, emotionally, mentally,' Koonce said. 'I should be good soon.' • Edge rusher Maxx Crosby missed several games last year due to a high ankle sprain and had tightrope surgery in the offseason, but he's healthy again. He was a full participant in practice and is ready to roll. 'I didn't have an offseason,' Crosby said. 'I've been here the whole time. It's been five months of hardcore training and rehabbing every single day. … 'Last year was definitely one of the hardest years of my life, in general. I had so many things going on. I was battling injuries and not being able to be myself. … That was the first time in my career I felt like it was Week 2, and I was on a popped tire. I'm doing everything in my power to try to go out and help my teammates, and at times, I felt like I just wasn't the same. … Being out there with my teammates and being able to fully be myself … it's the best feeling on the planet.' Advertisement • Offensive tackle Thayer Munford was another player who was present but didn't participate in drills on Wednesday. The nature of his injury has not been disclosed. • On the first play of 11-on-11 team drills, safety Jeremy Chinn jumped a route over the middle and picked off quarterback Geno Smith. A few plays later, receiver Dont'e Thornton beat Chinn on a corner route, and Smith found him in the end zone for a touchdown. While Smith got some payback early on, it ended up being a bumpy practice for the starting quarterback. In a period where the first-team offense faced off against the second-team defense, the backup defenders managed to hold their own. Smith tried to hit tight end Brock Bowers on a route into the flat, but linebacker Tommy Eichenberg stepped in front and intercepted the pass for what likely would've been a pick six. On another play against the second-team defense, Smith overthrew his target and was picked off in the back of the end zone by safety Chris Smith II. Carroll has been impressed by how quickly the back seven of his defense has developed a strong chemistry. 'That's what allows guys to think freely and be confident to make the plays and break on the ball and think 'I'm going to get this ball; I'm not just going to defend the play,'' Carroll said. 'Jeremy Chinn has really shown a lot already in leadership. Elandon Roberts has already given us confidence that can spread to the rest of the players. (Eric) Stokes has done a nice job, too; he's jumped right up at the corner spot. So, we're getting really good, positive things from guys that have been there before.' • Despite the offensive struggles Wednesday, Tre Tucker made the most impressive play of the day on either side of the ball. He beat his matchup on a deep route and got over the top of the safety to get open. Smith had to step backward to buy some extra time but managed to fling the pass downfield before the pressure got home. It was a little too far out in front of Tucker, but he laid out to make the catch and dragged both feet inbounds for a touchdown. Advertisement Tucker started most of last season, but his role could be in jeopardy after the Raiders drafted Thornton and second-rounder Jack Bech. If he keeps making plays like that, though, he'll solidify his place in the rotation. • Sixth-round pick Tommy Mellott got significant action at slot receiver. The rookie played quarterback in college but is being converted to receiver. On one rep, he made cornerback Darnay Holmes fall on an in-and-out route before hauling in a pass from Smith and turning upfield. • Rookie cornerback Darien Porter got a lot of reps with the first-team defense. He didn't make any splash plays, but he was able to consistently stick with his matchup for most of practice. • There's an ongoing competition at left guard. Left tackle Kolton Miller, center Jackson Powers-Johnson, right guard Alex Cappa and right tackle DJ Glaze seem to be locked into starting spots, but Dylan Parham and Jordan Meredith rotated at left guard throughout practice. • Carroll said the offense had the better practice on Monday, so Wednesday was a bit of revenge for the defense. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham mixed up his coverages and caught Kelly and the offense off guard. Carroll views the back and forth as a positive, and the players feel the same way. 'That energy is contagious,' Crosby said. 'In football, you can have all the X's and O's and you can be the smartest guy on the planet, but when it really comes down to it and it's really nut-cutting time, it's truly (about) who's going to execute and who's willing to go further. … (We have) guys that are constantly pushing themselves to that level, not just offensively but defensively, too. … If you have a bunch of dawgs on the field that are willing to go to the farthest lengths to win, you're going to have a chance.'
