Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, many expected the Las Vegas Raiders to take Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick. Ultimately, the Raiders’ braintrust, led by GM John Spytek, did just that, taking the Heisman Trophy runner-up to help boost what was the NFL’s worst rushing attack last season.
This was the first draft pick made by Spytek, who was hired as the team’s new general manager this offseason, and it was the perfect marriage of need, fitting value, as Jeanty was absolutely unbelievable last season. It is also a pick that Spytek’s son was greatly in favor of.
A couple of weeks before the draft, Spytek revealed in an interview that his oldest son told him that if he didn’t pick Jeanty, he was going to leave the family and even gave that message to Raiders owner Mark Davis as well, via Levi Damien of Raiders Wire:
“My oldest son has made it no secret that if we don’t pick Ashton Jeanty at six, that he’s walking out of the family and he’s gonna find somebody else. Probably whoever takes Ashton. . . He walked right into our building and basically told Mark Davis, ‘If my dad doesn’t take Ashton Jeanty, he’s doing a bad job.’”
And upon hearing this quote, Jeanty realized then that he was destined to be a member of the Raiders, as he noted in his introductory press conference:
“Once I seen statement about Spytek’s son, I knew it was going to happen,” said Jeanty. “Gotta keep the family together.”
Jeanty to the Raiders seemed to be in the works for weeks, though there were some concerns that he might be taken before the Raiders got on the clock. Thankfully, that didn’t happen, and the Raiders and Spytek’s son got the guy they wanted.
Now it will be a matter of him proving everyone right, and he will certainly be one of the frontrunners for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Jeanty rushed for 2,601 yards last season, the second-most in college football history, along with 29 touchdowns, and if the Raiders can get improved play from their offensive line, Jeanty will be in line for a huge rookie season.
Raiders address multiple holes with rest of NFL Draft picks
While Jeanty will get the most attention, the Raiders also addressed numerous other holes across the roster throughout the rest of the NFL Draft.
The franchise took TCU receiver Jack Beck in the second round as the Raiders sorely need a boost at that position. The team also took Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter and offensive linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant in the third.
