The 2025 NFL Draft boasts plenty of talent at multiple positions, including running back.
That’s why it’s not easy to stand out from the rest of the pack, much less be considered a consensus top-ten selection.
That’s the case with Boise State star Ashton Jeanty, who’s currently projected to go No. 6 to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Jeanty is coming off having one of the single greatest seasons by any running back in college football history.
Nevertheless, CFB analyst Bruce Feldman isn’t so high on him.
Talking to former NFL QB Chase Daniel, Feldman argued that you should only consider taking a running back that high if we’re talking about someone like Adrian Peterson or Saquon Barkley, and he doesn’t think Jeanty is in the same tier as them (via The Athletic):
“I’d be really surprised if the Raiders took him,” Feldman said. “He is not Saquon [Barkley]. The person I talked to about this part of it was like, ‘if you’re going to take a running back that high, it probably needs to be Saquon or Adrian Peterson, and I don’t think this guy is that.’”
So just how good is Ashton Jeanty, really?@ChaseDaniel asked, and @BruceFeldmanCFB answered.https://t.co/AaTn3sur8y pic.twitter.com/DVH66TeZbC
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 23, 2025
Jeanty is coming off rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns.
He also had 138 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown, so the production and numbers are most definitely there.
On the downside, the Boise State Broncos rarely played against high-end competition, and that’s a big question mark going forward.
Then again, the tape doesn’t lie, and Jeanty has the makings of a superstar.
The game has changed, and the league is more pass-happy than it’s ever been.
That, plus their shorter career lifespan, has made teams shy away from taking running backs in the first round, especially this high.
Still, the running game continues to be pivotal to success, and every now and then, a prospect like Jeanty comes to defy the status quo.
NEXT: Tom Coughlin Predicts Giants’ Draft Plans At Pick No. 3
