With Day 1 of the NFL draft just days away, be careful with all of the smokescreens surrounding the No. 6 pick for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Depending on who you talk to, Ashton Jeanty heading to the Silver and Black seems to be all but a predetermined outcome. Of course it is; this is what the fans call “lying season.” Is it surprising that they feel this way? Antonio Pierce, the former Raiders head coach, created a media storm that led many in Raider Nation to believe fervently that Jayden Daniels was imminent.
As we all know, the Raiders were never even close. This year, much of the hype surrounds Jeanty landing in that sixth spot. That’s assuming that the New England Patriots won’t take him at No. 4, which could happen. If Jeanty’s truly the generational talent that many profess him to be, Patriots brass surely wouldn’t pass on him. The Raiders desperately need to jumpstart their run game after the disaster we all witnessed in 2024 following Josh Jacobs’ exit.
Is Ashton Jeanty to the Raiders a “foregone conclusion?”
CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones recently reported that an anonymous AFC West executive believes Jeanty is all but a formality given the nature of the Raiders’ fondness for the Boise State star.
“Plenty around the league believe strongly the Raiders have fallen in love with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. One executive from an AFC team went so far as to say it’s ‘a foregone conclusion’ that Vegas will take him with the No. 6 pick.”
Moreover, Jones added that he reserved the right to essentially be wrong because you can’t guarantee that the Jacksonville Jaguars, who pick before the Raiders, would pass up on Jeanty. Indeed, it’s difficult to accept the words of a rival executive regarding the Raiders’ plans. Be careful there, Raider Nation.
Pete Carroll and John Spytek added smoke of their own…
While anonymous sources are a concern, the Raiders brass did not actively suppress any rumors. In fact, while addressing the media ahead of the draft, the duo was asked about Jeanty being the pick—in a moment that’s now gone viral, Carroll, away from the mic, advised Spytek “to be careful” with how he responded. Obviously it wasn’t as slick as Carroll intended (or maybe that was the jig), but the media has run away with it in terms of fueling the belief Jeanty will be the pick.
Let’s face it, 2025 doesn’t have nearly the same pre-draft hype that we saw last year. That was due to the abundance of “generational” quarterback prospects that were to be available. Despite this, the Raiders managed to secure the best tight end in the NFL with the acquisition of Brock Bowers. With the quarterback class being vastly underwhelming in that regard this year, Jeanty has been the talk of the town. It’s possible he could go within the top five if we’re being honest.
For the Raiders, it makes sense to make Jeanty their pick. Carroll loves to run the ball; we know that much. However, if you ask Seattle Seahawks fans, they’ll say he loves to run the ball except when it mattered most. However, that’s a different matter entirely. Occasionally the smokescreens are real; perhaps the present situation will be one of those occasions.
*Top Photo: Getty Images