When they turned his name in during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, many in Raider Nation rejoiced. Jeanty was just the thing this lifeless rushing attack needed to turn things around.
Were there other places Las Vegas could have spent its draft capital in the first round? Sure, but Jeanty is a superstar in the making on the offensive side of the ball, where the Raiders struggled badly for the entire 2024 season.
So, what exactly are the Silver and Black getting in their newest running back? We will dive into the film to find out.
For this exercise, we will watch Jeanty’s game against Oregon and his game against Penn State, arguably the two toughest teams he faced.
Against the Ducks, Jeanty rushed 25 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Oregon was the No. 7 team in the country during that game, narrowly defeating the Broncos, 37-34.
One of the most impressive elements of Jeanty’s game is his vision. He knows where there will be gaps in the defense once he takes the ball, and he can exploit them for several more yards.
He did this several times against Oregon, a defense loaded with NFL talent.
Jeanty is also tough to tackle. Defenders bounce off of him because of his low-body strength and smaller center of gravity.
There was one play in the first quarter of the Oregon game where defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, tried to tackle him but slipped off of him like he was covered in grease.
On his first touchdown, Jeanty followed a great block from Tyler Crowe that allowed him to bounce to the right with open grass in front of him.
His second came in the fourth quarter with the Broncos trailing 27-20. He took the handoff up the middle, and with just enough space, he hit the hole and accelerated into his second gear.
From the brief moment he got into the open field, it was a footrace, and Jeanty won. He was gashing a talented Ducks defense all night.
His third touchdown was a perfect example of how tough he is to tackle. He took the handoff, bounced off five Oregon tacklers, and fell forward into the end zone to give Boise a brief lead.
Jeanty gained national attention for this performance and put himself on NFL draft boards with this excellent performance against one of the country’s best.
The Nittany Lions’ game in the College Football Playoff was more of a struggle. The talented defense, which also featured many NFL prospects, keyed in on Jeanty, suffocating him every time he touched the ball.
Jeanty tried his best to hit the hole as hard as he could, but every time he did, at least two Penn State defenders were waiting for him.
There was an impressive pass-blocking rep from Jeanty in this game against the eventual No. 3 overall pick, Abdul Carter. Carter flew past the tight end and tried to plow over Jeanty, but he held his ground and gave his quarterback enough time to escape the pocket for a positive gain.
Jeanty finished the PSU game with 30 carries for 104 yards, an average of 3.5 yards per carry, his lowest of the season.
If the Raiders’ offensive line is blocking for Jeanty, he will be able to do the rest himself. Defenders will struggle to bring him down on first contact, as evidenced by his 1,970 yards after contact.
There are concerns with Jeanty’s ball security, as his short arms have resulted in a few fumbles here and there. He must eliminate that at the next level to propel himself into stardom.
The Raiders struck gold with Jeanty in the first round. He will be an explosive playmaker and should help the Silver and Black turn things around quickly.