On New Year’s Eve, the Boise State Broncos and star running back Ashton Jeanty were eliminated from the College Football Playoff after being defeated by the Penn State Nittany Lions 31-14. However, NFL legend Barry Sanders reacted on social media to the standout season that Jeanty had just completed this year by handing out high praise for the young athlete.
In the game, Jeanty was unable to record a touchdown or break the all-time rushing record in a single season, which is currently held by Sanders. The Broncos RB finished the outing in the Fiesta Bowl with 104 yards rushing and added three receptions for 22 yards.
What Did Barry Sanders Say To Ashton Jeanty?
In response to a post on X discussing the top five single-season rushing leaders in college football history, Sanders congratulated the Broncos and Jeanty on a strong campaign and also detailed how excited he was to see the latter at the professional level.
“Congrats to @AshtonJeanty2 and @BroncoSportsFB on a great season. I will be watching for you in the @NFL,” Sanders said.
Congrats to @AshtonJeanty2 and @BroncoSportsFB on a great season. I will be watching for you in the @NFL https://t.co/rH4OjfHsSj
— Barry Sanders (@BarrySanders) January 1, 2025
The original post by FOX Sports details how Sanders rushed for 2,628 yards in the 1988 season, only 27 yards ahead of the statistics put up by Jeanty this campaign, who finished with 2,601.
Jeanty’s 2025 NFL Draft Projection and Future Outlook
As is evident, Jeanty had one of the greatest running back seasons in college football history. While he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting prospects in this year’s NFL Draft class, franchises tend to be rather hesitant about selecting a running back early in the process, largely due to the longevity of the position compared to others.
In Pro Football Network’s recent 2025 NFL Mock Draft completed by Owain Jones, Jeanty was selected No. 21 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Ashton Jeanty is one of the top overall prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, could his positional value and lack of top-end athleticism slip him down the board?
“The Boise State rusher may not have the unique athleticism of Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson, but his skill set is complete. With some of the best vision we have seen in college football, Jeanty is a missed-tackle-generating machine due to his elite contact balance and low center of gravity.”