Exclusive: Raiders' Ashton Jeanty Talks High Expectations for 2025 NFL Season

The Las Vegas Raiders have a lot of moving parts in 2025 and put together an impressive 2025 NFL Draft that included drafting Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 overall pick.

Jeanty has a lot of expectations around him, and he joined Newsweek Sports to discuss being drafted, his lofty goals for the Raiders, and his partnership with USAA.

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Jeanty is no stranger to military life, as his father Harry Jeanty served in the Navy. He had the chance to join fellow draftee Jalen Milroe as they toured General Mitchell Air National Guard Base in partnership with USAA.

Jeanty showcased the tour on his social media.

Jeanty spoke about the tour and what it was like to tour the air base.

"USAA is the official NFL 'Salute to Service' partner, and we got to visit military members stationed in the Milwaukee Air National Guard. Me and Jalen Milroe, both of our dads were formerly in the military, so it was just a great opportunity to spend some time with them and really see what a day in their life is really like."

Jeanty saw his name called on the biggest stage, as he was picked No. 6 overall by the Raiders. Following the momentous night, he revealed his feelings about being picked and what being a first-round pick means.

"I'm feeling great. I'm just really excited to get going. There is a lot of great guys around me on this team. And not only that, but a great coaching staff. I already got to look at the playbook, and it's looking great."

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Jeanty was shown getting the call from Raiders GM John Spytek and Carroll, and he revealed the moment left him feeling "blacked out."

"You know, I really just blacked out. I was just smiling and I don't even remember what they were saying."

Now that the call has been made and Jeanty is a member of the Raiders, he also revealed his feelings about being a cornerstone of the offense.

"It's definitely great to be in this position. I know there is high expectations for me to come and perform instantly. I'm ready for that, and that is what I wanted. Not only that, I just feel like I will be complement to all the other guys on the offense. Such as Brock Bowers, Jakobi, a great quarterback in Geno. They didn't have the best run game last year, I will be a boost to the run game, to make Geno's life easier. Balanced attack versus teams."

Jeanty has the benefit of teaming up with Carroll, who was in the Seattle Seahawks, and had a power running back in Marshawn Lynch. Jeanty believes he can mimic what "Beastmode" did for Carroll.

"Most definitely. That is why they picked me. He [Carroll] seen something in me, like he seen in other guys in the past. I'm next up."

There are plenty of Raiders legends and current players who also reached out to offer their support of Jeanty the moment he was drafted. Among them are defensive end Maxx Crosby and tackle Kolton Miller, along with Raiders legend Marcus Allen and Lynch.

Jeanty revealed how important it was to see the immediate "support" from current and past players welcoming him to the storied Raider franchise.

Jeanty also discussed the drama behind the prank calls that occurred, mainly the one that was the subject of all the headlines involving Shedeur Sanders. Sanders was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, but received a call that much earlier that pranked him into thinking he was being taken in Round 2.

"I would be disappointed, annoyed, for something like that. I feel for him. I definitely didn't like seeing that, especially how nerve-racking it is. Anxious. Especially if you don't go where you want to go, and then you get a fake call. That doesn't help at all ... It's just disrespectful, honestly. It's lame. Whoever did that, you're lame!"

Sanders dropped out of the first round, and he was initially projected to be taken somewhere in the top five picks, near where Jeanty landed. The Raiders' running back was honest about what may have transpired that led to Sanders falling and what he learned from it, including advice for draftees.

"Somebody is analyzing everything you do, each and every single day. Everybody you talk to in the past, all that stuff leads up to now, to that moment. Anybody who wants to be there some day, just know that."

Jeanty also understands how the running back position has been valued in the NFL in the past few seasons, though Saquon Barkley destroyed that narrative with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jeanty stated he would do "what Saquon did for the Eagles," with any team that drafted him. He also stated why the "undervalued" narrative might have been started in the first place.

"I think a part of it a little bit there was kind of a period where there wasn't, there was only a few guys performing at a high level. There wasn't 10 guys, 15 guys, like it kind of was in the past. All the top teams had a star running back. But, I don't think it should have been devalued because of that."

Jeanty also gave flowers to the backs beside Barkley that perform at a high level like Detroit Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta Falcons' Bijan Robinson.

Jeanty has a lot riding on his ability to perform in 2025, and he welcomes the projections that he could be a lock for the Offensive Rookie of the Year.

"It's pretty dope. It's a little early, but I'm not mad at it. If people see me as that ... That's the kind of 'pressure' that is put on you being a top pick. I'm all here for it."

Jeanty also weighed in on the internet trend that is everywhere, which is the debate for the 100 men vs. gorilla debate.

"People have got to stop with this. A gorilla can take a man and crush his head with his hands ... 100 mes vs a gorilla? I got the gorilla."

To watch the entire interview, watch the video above.

For more on the Raiders and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.