Ashton Jeanty had a season for the ages in 2024, and he was rewarded for his efforts early on in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Las Vegas Raiders selected the Boise State running back No. 6 overall on Thursday night. It was a sign of a continuing shift in the value of running backs.
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He wasn’t the only back to hear his name called on the first night of the draft either. North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton also went No. 22 overall to the Los Angeles Chargers. Two may not seem like much, but that notion changes a little when you consider there were no running backs drafted in the first round at all last year. Jon Gruden broke down why teams shouldn’t be scared to draft RBs highly.
While discussing the first round on Barstool’s Pardon My Take podcast with Big Cat and PFT Commenter, Gruden came up on the topic of Jeanty. Gruden talked about how draft analysts like Mel Kiper Jr. used to tell him not to draft RBs in the first round back when he was covering the draft with ESPN. Needless to say, Gruden, a former NFL head coach, didn’t agree with the talking heads.
“I used to argue with Mel Kiper when I was doing the ESPN draft. Kiper said you don’t take running backs in the first round. I said, well, Earl Campbell was the first pick. Tony Dorsett wasn’t bad. Emmitt Smith turned out okay. It all depends on a year-by-year basis.”
The talent in the class at any given position will determine whether it’s a big year for that position or not. Last year, it was an unexciting RB class and a strong QB class. A lot of QBs went early, no RBs went in the first round. This year, it was a weaker QB class and a stronger RB class, so two of each were taken in Round 1.
Gruden also argued that this class is a little bit weaker than years past due to several factors, including both the impact of COVID as well as the transfer portal in particular. Gruden’s an old school guy, so he doesn’t like that a lot of top prospects are coming out early and skipping things like spring practice either.
“I don’t think this year’s draft was as strong as people wanted it to be for TV purposes. COVID impacted this class. So did the NIL and the transfer portal. I mean, the number one pick in the draft played on three different teams. And I don’t know if that’s beneficial for his career, I don’t believe it is. But a lot of these guys don’t go to spring practice, they’re coming out as juniors, they don’t play in the same system for multiple years. It’s a different process now. So it’s a crapshoot.”
In the end, Ashton Jeanty going to the Raiders, whom Gruden once coached on two separate occasions, makes a lot of sense for them. Sincere McCormick was a nice surprise last year, but he’s a depth piece, so the Raiders needed a running back. And considering their new coach, Pete Carroll, has always loved a good ground game, they were going to invest heavily at the position. That’s exactly what they did.
The Raiders will pick fifth in the second round on Friday night, No. 37 overall. They have one pick each in Rounds 3-7, save the sixth, where they have two additional compensatory picks.
