Although it is becoming less and less normal for running backs to be selected early in the first round of the draft, every few years there is a potential that is such a good prospect that teams cannot overlook them. The fact that Ashton Jeanty was able to rush for 2,601 yards while playing for Boise State the previous year solidified his position as one of those candidates.
In spite of the fact that John Spytek, the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders, comes from a lineup of teams that did not place a great priority on drafting running backs, he was aware that Jeanty was too talented to pass up. In the last moments of the recruiting process, there were reports that the team would select an offensive lineman rather than Jeanty. However, this did not turn out to be the case.
“It’s about team building, and what’s the right way to do it,” Spytek remarked in response to a member of the “3 and Out John Middlekauff” podcast asking him why he drafted Jeanty. The kind of guy that he is, in my opinion, is what elevated it to that level… At the age of six, we are unable to pass up a magnificent and modest individual who is 28 yards short of Barry Sanders. Each and every Sunday night, I would go to bed thinking what Ashton Jeanty would have done in the National Football League (NFL) if we hadn’t managed to acquire his services.
There is a possibility that Jeanty will become an impact player right away. The Raiders finished the previous season with the weakest rushing offense in the National Football League (NFL), and the arrival of Jeanty should immediately improve their performance in that facet of the game.
The character of the running back may have been the factor that contributed to his success, as Spytek pointed out. Off the field, he does not exhibit any red flags, which is a fantastic player to have when beginning a new season with a new head coach and quarterback.
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