Ashton Jeanty is as modest as he is talented. The 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up expressed gratitude toward Saquon Barkley, stating that the Philadelphia Eagles superstar running back raised his 2025 NFL Draft stock.
Like everyone else, Jeanty recognizes Barkley was an integral part of Philadelphia's Super Bowl LIX. The former shouted out the latter during a conversation with Sterling Holmes on FanSided's Stacking the Box podcast for restoring value to their position. He credited the Eagles star tailback's historic 2024 campaign for vaulting him up the board as a potential top-10 selection this offseason.
Ashton Jeanty salutes Philadelphia Eagle star Saquon Barkley for elevating his draft stock
"[Barkley] definitely boosted where I might get drafted," Jeanty told Holmes. "With the season that he had, especially with [the Eagles] going all the way ... him getting a new contract reconstruction ... it changed a lot."
Jeanty's praise of his peers didn't stop at Barkley. He acknowledged how several backs, both at the collegiate and professional levels, accomplished "great things" and restored appraisal of the state of the RB. However, the 21-year-old humbly failed to give himself a much-deserved pat on the back.
Nonetheless, Jeanty waited until he was off camera to toot his horn in an open letter to NFL GMs (h/t The Players' Tribune). Interestingly enough, he began his message by mentioning Barkley:
"Most people, they watched the Eagles win the Super Bowl a couple of months ago, they watched Saquon run through everyone in the playoffs, and they thought to themselves, This is amazing," Jeanty penned. "I watched it and I thought something different. I thought, That can be me."
Barkley amassed 2,283 regular-season scrimmage yards last season before yielding the third-most rushing yards in a single postseason. Of course, that couldn't hurt Jeanty and RBs overall. Nevertheless, the Boise State standout has built his own outstanding résumé and was bound to be a highly touted prospect regardless of positional worth.
Part of what makes Jeanty so special in addition to dominating on the field is his competitive nature. While he appreciates the best, he also views himself as one of the best, signing off the note with an iconic mid-drop moment.
"It’s TACKLE football ... you know what I’m saying?" Jeanty wrote. "I’d draft the guy they can’t tackle."