Ashton Jeanty: WOW

I spent four days submersed in the game film Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty produced in 2023 ⎯every snap in 10 games.

I must admit I was on the fence for the first four games of the season ⎯I thought maybe he’s a good No. 2 back.

That was until the Colorado State game.

HOLY SMOKES

I don’t know what Jeanty did that week or what kind of magic potion he drank with his breakfast, but yeah, he looked like a different player starting in that game.

JEANTY RAN THE BALL LIKE HE WAS ONE OF THOSE POLICE BATTERING RAMS THEY USE TO BREAK DOWN DOORS

Defensive running

I grew up during the era when Chicago Bears great Walter Payton was running the ball. I’ve never seen anything like him since. Payton ran the ball defensively. In other words, he beat the defender to the punch. He looked to hit the defender before the defender could hit him.

It was a little bit before my time, but from the highlights I’ve seen of Oilers’ running back, Earl Campbell, he ran like that too.

Jeanty is in that same mold ⎯he punishes people. I can’t tell you how many times on film he made the first man miss before bulldozing through a defender or two.

Impressive would be an understatement.

What makes him so good?

Jeanty is built like a stack of bricks and he runs like football is the most important thing to him in the world.

This makes him tough to tackle ⎯106 forced missed tackles in 2023.

Another thing that makes him so good is his versatility.

He’s not just a power back. He’s also a heck of a receiver out of the backfield.

Throwing him a screen pass is like throwing a football in the back of a pickup truck and watching it drive downfield.

2023: Rushing: 220 carries for 1,347 yards (6.1 avg.), 14 touchdowns.

Receiving: 43 receptions for 569 yards (13.2 avg.), 5 touchdowns.

That’s 1,916 all-purpose yards.

Any concerns?

Yes.

He runs erect. He runs too upright as a runner, which makes him more of a target and he absorbs more contact.

injury is another concern due to the physicality he plays with. He missed a couple of games with a ‘lower body injury‘ in 2023. How long can he hold up?

There were a couple of games he racked up three fumbles (San Jose State University and North Dakota University), but it wasn’t a ‘trend.’ He didn’t show he has a ‘fumbling problem,’ but it’s worth mentioning.

Level of competition is another factor ⎯most of his opponents in 2023 weren’t against elite-level college competition.

Franchise back prospect

Despite the NFL not valuing running backs the way they did when I was growing up, there is no question, Jeanty has the look of being a franchise-type prospect.

He’s a true difference-maker for which defenses have to account at all times.

#2 Ashton Jeanty 5-foot-9, 215 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2024 Fall Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 30.2% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of October 2, 2024 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2023 game film evaluated: Washington, UCF, UND, SJSU, CSU, Wyoming, Utah State, Air Force, UNLV, and UCLA (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Compact and aggressive running back who runs to daylight. Tough as nails. Quick feet. Patient. Really can accelerate. Excellent vision. Exploits holes with authority. Smooth and shifty downhill runner. Glides through the contact zone. Always falling forward. Better north-south runner than east-west. Attacks would-be tacklers. Often makes a man miss and overcomes tacklers. Phenomenal contact balance. Fights for every inch. Can hurdle defenders. Regular stiff arm. Good football speed. Can take snaps out of the wildcat. Soft and dependable hands. Can split out wide. Nightmare for defensive backs. Game planning mismatch catching the ball. Selfless. Good blitz pickup. Will block for teammates.

What to watch for during the 2024 college football season

1. Does he stay healthy?

2. Fumbling?

3. Does he consistently win the edge as a runner?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.