Ashton Jeanty is eager to put a forgettable rookie campaign in the past.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft didn't have the impact he'd hoped for on a three-win Las Vegas Raiders club. Jeanty believes things can be different in 2026.
"When everything is not going well, continuing to go to work and having hope and faith," Jeanty said, via the . "I think that'll carry into this year. Just taking it one week at a time, whether you win or you lose, you've got to attack the next game and the next week with the same mindset."
Jeanty struggled behind one of the worst -- if not the worst -- offensive lines in the NFL last season. The back earned 1.6 yards per attempt before contact last season, third-worst behind only Quinshon Judkins (1.4) and Chris Rodriguez Jr. (1.5), per . Getting pulverized behind the line rarely allowed Jeanty time to get up to speed.
The Raiders improved their offensive line this offseason, signing Tyler Linderbaum to a record-setting contract, adding guard Spencer Burford and getting left tackle Kolton Miller back from injury. The offensive line upgrades should immediately aid Jeanty, and playing in Klint Kubiak's scheme should put the back in advantageous positions to create explosive plays.
Outside of on-field improvement, Jeanty said he's becoming more of a leader in the RB room after deferring as a rookie.
"It's always tough being in the first year trying to figure out so much stuff," Jeanty said. "But this year, there's a lot of expectations for me and I think I've got to make a big jump. I think that starts with helping my teammates as well and just being a better teammate."
Despite the blocking struggles, Jeanty generated 975 yards and five touchdowns on 266 carries, averaging 3.7 yards per tote. That average should ascend in 2026. Given what we know about Kubiak's offense, expect a big improvement on the explosive front. After shining in that area in college, he had just three runs of 20-plus yards and two over the 40-yard mark last season. It'd be a surprise if he didn't smash past those numbers early in the season.
