Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty had a stellar 2024 season, leading the Broncos’ offense with one of the most dominant rushing seasons of all time. With 2,601 yards on 374 carries, Jeanty finished the year with the second-most rushing yards in a season of all time, only behind the record holder, Barry Sanders.
Jeanty was named a Heisman finalist, falling just short to Colorado’s two-way star, Travis Hunter — but now, he’s headed to the 2025 NFL Draft as a top prospect and receiving quite a comparison.
Ashton Jeanty Gets Compared to Christian McCaffrey
With the 2025 NFL Draft approaching, fans and media members are speculating about where different players could end up. And as the top running back in his draft class, Jeanty has generated a lot of attention.
On Saturday, Feb. 22, X account “NFL Rookie Watch” posted a tweet comparing Jeanty to San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey.
“Ashton Jeanty could reportedly start as the RB1 on ‘over 80%’ of NFL teams as a rookie according to an anonymous AFC executive. Jeanty has reportedly been preparing to run between a 4.35-4.45 in the 40 and has been squatting 600 POUNDS.
“One NFL scout reportedly believes Jeanty is on the same level as Christian McCaffrey in terms of being a blue-chip prospect, and is even better than Bijan Robinson was as a prospect.”
“He’s up there with the Saquon Barkley’s, the Christian McCaffrey’s, and quite frankly he’s a step ahead of Bijan Robinson. The Bears, Vikings, Saints, and Cowboys are all reportedly the “leader’s in interest” of Jeanty at this point in time. Don’t be surprised when the Boise State RB comes off the board in the Top-10.”
Ashton Jeanty could reportedly start as the RB1 on "over 80%" of NFL teams as a rookie according to an anonymous AFC executive.
Jeanty has reportedly been preparing to run between a 4.35-4.45 in the 40 and has been squatting 600 POUNDS.
One NFL scout reportedly believes Jeanty… pic.twitter.com/DGFsQqsbm6
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) February 22, 2025
It will be interesting to see where Jeanty ends up when the draft comes in late April. He had a college football season for the ages and, as a result, is viewed as one of the most talented players in the 2025 class.
Still, Jeanty is not expected to be a top-five pick, and he may not go in the top 10 despite the account’s optimism. That is simply because running back is not viewed as a valuable position by most general managers and scouts.
Running backs typically have shorter careers, so teams aren’t usually as willing to expend much draft capital on them. However, with the emergence of players like McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley, that mentality is starting to change.
It will be interesting to see if a team takes a risk on Jeanty in the top 10. If not, the Dallas Cowboys are picking 12th and have been linked to the Boise State RB.
