Geno Smith has 1-word reaction to Raiders drafting Ashton Jeanty with No. 6 pick

Modified Apr 25, 2025 02:24 GMT

Las Vegas Raiders Introduce Geno Smith - Source: Getty — Geno Smith celebrated Ashton Jeanty's addition - Source: Getty

The Las Vegas Raiders made a splashy pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the sixth overall pick, the franchise selected running back Ashton Jeanty from Boise State, bolstering their offense with the number one runner in the class.

Jeanty was a superstar during the 2024 season, losing the Heisman Trophy only to Travis Hunter's historic two-way season. Positional value had many critics arguing that he wasn't deserving of a top 10 pick, but the Raiders' new regime, with Pete Carroll and Tom Brady as decision-makers, strongly focuses on the running game.

New Raiders quarterback Geno Smith, who was acquired by the franchise during the offseason, celebrated the new running back with a quick reaction on his tweet. Smith now has a new friend on the offense to build around, along with tight end Brock Bowers:

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Smith has a two-year extension worth a maximum of $85.5 million that will see him leading the team after failures with Jimmy Garoppolo and Aidan O'Connell. Jeanty's addition will ease the pressure on the quarterback, creating balance on the Raiders' offense.

Ashton Jeanty breaks tendency of running backs taken early in the draft with Raiders pick

Over the past decade, the running back position has been devalued by the league. The 2024 draft was a great example, as no running back was taken in the first round. The first player from the position that was drafted turned out to be Jonathon Brooks, the 46th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers.

The 2022 NFL Draft also had no running backs taken in the first night, with Breece Hall's name called with the 36th overall pick. The previous year, Najee Harris went late in the first round, with the Pittsburgh Steelers investing the 24th pick.

Using early picks in the first round became a rare sight in the NFL as the league shifted to a passing game. Jeanty's impact at Boise State, however, was also massive in the passing game: he had 80 receptions over three years in college.

The Chicago Bears were rumored to move up and draft Jeanty, but Las Vegas, ultimately, were able to stick and pick their favorite guy.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

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Edited by Henrique Bulio