With the NFL Draft less than two weeks away, many draft experts view this year's draft class as not as strong as last year's. But of all the top players available, many agree that Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is probably the most NFL-ready and cleanest prospect out there. His college career is marked by record-breaking performances and numerous accolades, winning both the Maxwell and Doak Walker Awards, while also finishing runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last season.
After being devalued, the running back position is resurging thanks to the stellar performance by Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, and Saquon Barkley in recent years. Many mock drafts have Jeanty selected in the top 10, with him and the Las Vegas Raiders being one of the most linked pairings in this draft
Ashton Jeanty make sense drafted to the Raiders with Pete Carroll coaching
After mutually parting ways with the Seattle Seahawks over a year ago, Pete Carroll is back in the NFL. Despite turning 74 in September, the Raiders are making a huge gamble on him as their newest head coach.
Since returning, Carroll and the Raiders got to work immediately. They traded for veteran quarterback Geno Smith with Carroll's former team to stabilize the position after starting Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder last season. Acquiring Smith makes sense because drafting a rookie quarterback and waiting for him to develop may work against Carroll's age.
With a quarterback taken care of, Carroll could see Jeanty as their version of Marshawn Lynch. When Carroll enjoyed success with the Seahawks, taking them to consecutive Super Bowls in 2013-14, Marshawn Lynch was a key member in their dominance.
Even more encouraging for the Raiders fans dreaming of Jeanty is Carroll's draft history with the Seahawks. ESPN's latest draft report (subscription required) indicates he took six offensive players in the first round while he was the head coach in Seattle. Among them is running back Rashaad Penny from San Diego State from the 2018 NFL draft. While Penny's career was cut short by injuries and was forced into retirement, Carroll has a shot at drafting another standout running back from the Mountain West Conference, hoping for a better result this time.
So, is it a slam dunk that the Raiders will draft Jeanty in the first round? It depends on who is in control of the organization. Tom Brady enters his first off-season as a minority owner, and the team also hired John Spytek as their new general manager, whom Brady knows well from his final three professional seasons in Tampa Bay.
Spytek recently made headlines when he revealed his son wanted Jeanty drafted by the Raiders. But does he get to make the final decision over Carroll and Brady? Carroll led the effort to trade for Smith because of his past with Seattle. That might be more interesting for the Raiders' fans than them drafting Jeanty, which is close to becoming more of a reality as the draft gets closer.