As the 2026 NFL Draft nears, Misryoum looks back at Ashton Jeanty’s first season: strong contact power, uneven efficiency, and clear reasons to expect a sharper follow-up.
The 2026 NFL Draft is nearly here, but the conversation around the Las Vegas Raiders is already being shaped by one question: what did they truly get from Ashton Jeanty in his rookie season?
At No.. 6 overall, Las Vegas bet on the running back from the 2025 class and—at least in flashes—looked right.. Jeanty finished his first year with 266 carries for 975 yards and five rushing touchdowns. while also contributing as a receiver: 55 catches for 346 yards and five receiving scores.. On the surface. those numbers are the kind of dual-threat production that makes a team feel like it drafted a long-term piece. not just a short-term problem-solver.
Misryoum’s read on Jeanty’s rookie season starts with how hard he ran even when things weren’t set up for him.. He logged 807 yards after contact. reportedly at an elite level—one that suggests defenses could stop routes or angle lanes. but struggled to simply erase him from plays.. There’s a difference between “running fast” and “running through contact. ” and Jeanty’s early identity leaned heavily toward the second.. When that kind of player is on the roster. an offense gains a safety valve: even when the design breaks down. he can still create a chunk of yards.
Still, the overall efficiency wasn’t consistent, and the gaps matter.. Jeanty averaged fewer than three yards per carry. a signal that NFL speed and NFL spacing were tougher for him than college.. Football’s small details—timing, vision, and trusting which crease will hold—often take time, especially for a rookie.. In his case, the offensive line’s ability to open space also looked limited.. A running back can have outstanding instincts and still struggle if the plays arrive late or the lanes shrink faster than he can adjust.
Misryoum also noticed how the season’s rhythm changed as Jeanty got more reps.. Toward the end of the year. the production looked more “NFL-ready. ” not just “talented.” Over the final seven games. he compiled 117 carries for 421 yards and a touchdown. including a 128-yard outing against the Houston Texans.. Those late-season results weren’t just about volume—they suggested he was learning how the game wanted to be played against NFL defenses. where the angles are tighter and the decision windows are shorter.
What makes this rookie evaluation important is that the Raiders don’t just need him to produce.. They need him to scale.. Advanced looks at the season didn’t fully favor Jeanty, and that’s the kind of feedback teams cannot ignore.. The good news is that these are the exact kinds of issues that coaching and roster upgrades can fix: better line play. clearer run concepts. and a passing attack that forces defenses to respect more than one thing.
Misryoum’s takeaway is that Jeanty’s foundation was there, even if the finish wasn’t fully polished.. If the Raiders addressed the offensive line coaching situation and added pieces that create room. Jeanty’s next season could be a step-change rather than a small improvement.. With a real passing threat. defenses can’t stack the box the same way. and running lanes stop collapsing before the play develops.. That changes everything for a runner whose value is amplified when he’s asked to hit space—not merely absorb contact in a crowded midfield.
There’s also a broader roster implication tied to the 2026 Draft conversation.. Jeanty can become the engine. but an engine needs transmission and fuel—blocking. route pressure. and play-action discipline—to convert talent into points.. If the Raiders surround him with offensive pieces that protect timing and force matchups. the “mixed bag” of his rookie year could become the kind of storyline that defines a new era.
For Raiders fans, the most encouraging part isn’t just the yardage.. It’s the pattern: power through contact. gradual adaptation. and late-season evidence that he was starting to look like a centerpiece.. As Misryoum watches the draft week unfold. the real focus may be simpler than it sounds—whether Las Vegas can turn Jeanty’s raw strengths into consistent efficiency.. If they do. the rookie season won’t feel like an incomplete chapter; it will feel like the first page of something bigger.