“I would be stunned” - John Middlekauff gets candid on possibility of Raiders drafting Ashton Jeanty

Ashton Jeanty is considered the best running back in the 2025 NFL draft. The Boise State star is projected as a top-10 pick, with draft expert Todd McShay having the Las Vegas Raiders picking Jeanty as the No. 6 selection.

However, former NFL scout John Middlekauff outlined why the Raiders might be against drafting Jeanty in the first round this year, as they need to strengthen in other areas of the field, while also highlighting the running back's stature.

“The Raiders cannot take Ashton Jeanty, I would be stunned," Middlekauff said on his YouTube podcast on Thursday. (23:20)

"I mean, floored. If John Spytek, who played at Michigan, pretty big guy, would take a 5-foot-8 running back, and it feels like I'm hating on Ashton Jeanty. (But) I love Jeanty, you could not watch him play last year and not think he's one of the best players in college football, but he played at a smaller school, and he's 5-foot-8. Put yourself in a position of being a GM in the top 10 in your team, like the Raiders, where you could use offensive line, defensive line, just impact players, hell, a wide receiver.

"You could not take a 5-foot-8 running back when there are 10 other guys who can be starters in the NFL. … take a running back in the second or third round, I think taking Jeanty in the top 10 would be pretty nuts if you're a general manager.”

A few other teams that have been linked with drafting Jeanty are the Chicago Bears and the Dallas Cowboys.

The Bears want a player in their offensive backfield who could take some pressure off quarterback Caleb Williams. After strengthening its offensive line in the past few weeks, a running back like Jeanty could add more firepower to the team's offense.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys lacked quality for their offensive backfield in the 2024 season. Apart from Rico Dowdle, none rushed for more than 250 yards.

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Ashton Jeanty finished second in Heisman Trophy voting in 2024 season

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl - Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty - Source: Getty

Ashton Jeanty had a stellar 2024 season at Boise State, rushing for a whopping 2,610 yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 attempts. He also added 138 yards and a touchdown on 23 receptions.

Following his stellar displays for the Broncos, Jeanty was tipped as a Heisman favorite but finished second in the voting, behind Colorado's Travis Hunter. It will be interesting to see where Jeanty lands in the big league.