Where Could Running Back Ashton Jeanty Be Drafted? Cowboys, Commanders, Steelers, Chargers and More Make Sense

Running back has become a devalued position in the NFL. Near the beginning of the season, ESPN looked at the top contracts at each position by both average annual value (AAV) and guaranteed money. RBs came in only above special teams players and slightly below tight ends and safeties.

Some may think a renaissance started last offseason when Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry (and others) cashed in with free agent contracts and excelled, but those two ended up in extremely beneficial situations that most running backs can’t replicate.

Any back can end up in the right situation and find success; it’s different when an elite player finds that circumstance. I projected Barkley as the top fantasy RB for 2024 because the previous two seasons saw Miles Sanders and D'Andre Swift put together fantasy starter seasons for Philadelphia when they otherwise have been middling at best. Philly had been in the top 10 in both run blocking and pass blocking in 2023, and they repeated that feat in 2024.

Henry joined a Baltimore team that was in the top five in both run and pass blocking in 2023; they also repeated those rankings in 2024. On top of their great offensive lines, both running backs also joined top-level running quarterbacks who helped hold defenders and open lanes for their backs, a correlation with real evidence.

For everyone aside from the best running backs on the best running teams, though, RBs are still seen as replaceable because so many players can do what most running backs do. Unless they make a big difference in the passing game (Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs) or are generational runners (Henry, healthy Nick Chubb), a veteran back looking for a $10 million contract has to deal with the reality that a draft pick making less than $1 million can give much of the same value.

That monetary valuation also extends to the draft. Knowing that they can find similar players at different levels of the draft, teams don’t feel the need to reach for a running back in the first round. That pushes down the draft stock of everyone at the position, usually causing more runs in the middle and late rounds.

There’s a back entering the draft this season who many see as a generational talent, though, and a player who will almost definitely be drafted in the first round. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty ran for 2,601 yards on 7.0 per attempt; to put that into some perspective, 7.0 is about average for an NFL quarterback THROWING the ball.

Jeanty had a season for the ages and owns a prospect profile to match. NFL.com gives him a prospect grade of 7.15 out of 8.0. You have to go all the way back to Saquon Barkley in 2018 to find a running back with a grade that high. That gives you some idea as to what kind of player we are about to see enter the league.

So, if he is meant to be a star, which teams could realistically grab the young back with the idea of supercharging their offense? Jeanty is far from a sure thing; there are no sure things, as we’ve seen supposed superstars at every position fail after entering the league. The team that drafts Jeanty, though, will hoping for him to come in and jump-start their running game from Day 1.

Let’s go through some of the teams in the draft who might be a fit for the rookie back in the first round and how it might change that franchise’s outlook. We’ll go in draft order, and I’m not projecting any trades because it’s impossible to guess who might be moving up or down right now.

Las Vegas Raiders, picking 6th overall

What would it mean?

Vegas hit a grand slam when they grabbed tight end Brock Bowers 13th overall last season. They still don’t have a quarterback, but the Raiders also aren’t just a quarterback away from contention. They need help at multiple spots, including across the defense.

Should they draft him?

No. If he does indeed enter the league as a star, a combo of Jeanty and Bowers would be fun for any team, but they can replicate Jeanty’s value much easier than they can at a premium position, like pass rusher or cornerback. This premium pick needs to go toward one of those spots (or QB if one of the top two guys is available).

Chicago Bears, 10th

What would it mean?

A year after adding two top-10 picks to the offense, Chicago would be adding a home run hitter who they hope can complete the skill positions with high-pedigree players across the depth chart.

Should they draft him?

No. The Bears added shiny pieces to the offense last season, getting uber-prospect Caleb Williams first overall, adding receivers Keenan Allen (trade) and Rome Odunze (ninth pick), and signing running back Swift from the Eagles. That led many to project the Bears to jump into playoff contention.

Instead, the cracks formed in places that aren’t as easy to see, like on the offensive and defensive lines. On top of already having Swift on a mid-level veteran contract, the Bears need to solidify some of those premium positions, just like Las Vegas.

Chicago drafted their right tackle, Darnell Wright, 10th overall in 2023, and they could possibly bookend the offensive line and find a left tackle to lock down the most important spot up front.

Dallas Cowboys, 12th

What would it mean?

This is the first spot I could really see Jeanty going. Dallas took Ezekiel Elliott fourth overall in 2016, another player with a prospect grade over 7.0 (which gets into projected Pro Bowl/All-Pro territory).

After something of a lost season, the Cowboys have the top-level talent to be back in the playoff picture next season. Both the Eagles and Commanders made the playoffs, so Dallas will have to jump two teams within their own division to think about winning that crown.

Should they draft him?

No. I’m not a fan of taking running backs early in the draft. Anything prior to the 20th pick is almost an automatic no-go in my book, and the Cowboys are a top-heavy team that needs to rebuild parts of the offensive line, a recent strength.

Jeanty would fill a major void, but there is better value to be found on the positional spectrum.

Cincinnati Bengals, 17th

What would it mean?

The Bengals might lose a top-flight skill player this offseason if they can’t sign receiver Tee Higgins to a long-term contract, and they would have the chance to add a guy who could maybe reach that same level, albeit at a less important position.

Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase make up one of the best duos in the league, and Jeanty could be the third part of the core triumvirate, making up something resembling the Troy Aikman/Emmit Smith/Michael Irvin group that won multiple Super Bowls in Dallas.

Should they draft him?

Maybe. This is getting to the point where the value matches up despite positions. Many analysts have Jeanty as a top-10 guy in the draft, so it’s hard to argue with the pick after a certain point because the drafting team is getting a player who is universally expected to excel.

The Bengals need a lot of help on defense, and that’s where I would suggest Cincinnati focuses their efforts, but they would probably be best in 2025 if they brought in impact veterans on D, leaving them to add a major talent who would make an immediate impact on the offense in Round 1.

Denver Broncos, 20th

What would it mean?

Denver outplayed expectations this year on their way to a wild card berth. The defense was their top unit, though, and the Broncos will surely look to make one or more major moves to bring in help for Bo Nix, who played well as a rookie.

Denver doesn’t have a high-level running back, and Javonte Williams, who has mostly topped out as middling, is a free agent. Jeanty could step into the workhorse role and benefit from a mobile quarterback much like Barkley and Henry did in 2024.

Should they draft him?

Probably. I wouldn’t argue with anyone who says this is too high. The Broncos ranked first in both pass block and run block win rate by ESPN’s measure but still ranked below average in yards per rush attempt. That effort up front mixed with his special skillset would help Jeanty burst onto the scene.

Pittsburgh Steelers, 21st

Los Angeles Chargers, 22nd

What would it mean?

We’ll group these two together because it’s essentially the same argument. Pittsburgh and LA both made the playoffs as wild cards, don’t have a major impact back under contract heading into the offseason, and could stand to add the player who might become the centerpiece of their offense.

Should they draft him?

It’s worth a thought. Pittsburgh’s previous RB first-round pick, Najee Harris, is set to become a free agent, and he was below average from an efficiency standpoint in each of his first four seasons, though he racked up volume stats.

Los Angeles got 13 games out of J.K. Dobbins, a feat of its own after he played just nine total games in the previous three seasons combined. Dobbins was a little better than average, gaining 4.6 yards per attempt, but he is also about to become a free agent.

Either team could conceivably grab Jeanty if he’s available and look at him as the heart of their offense, and I wouldn’t be upset with them for doing so.

Minnesota Vikings, 24th

What would it mean?

A return to the Adrian Peterson days! Minnesota has had a good offense the past few years with Justin Jefferson leading the way, and this would throw another potential star into the mix around presumed new quarterback starter J.J. McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season with injury.

Should they draft him?

No. An important note about the Peterson era is that the team never made a Super Bowl and got closest only when Brett Favre came in and excelled in his first season. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has built his offense around a very good passing attack, and that’s likely to be the focus more than the running game.

A depleted secondary is probably a better area to target, though the value makes Jeanty a play that can’t be ignored.

Washington Commanders, 29th

What would it mean?

Matching the most dynamic offensive rookie from 2024 with maybe the most dynamic offensive rookie in 2025. That could form a deadly combo, as teams would have to stay accountable for Jayden Daniels while also trying to stop the most irresistible force in college football this season.

Should they draft him?

Yes. Jeanty will probably be gone by this point, but if he does last, the Commanders could create one of the scariest rushing duos in the league. That pair could compete with Jalen Hurts/Barkley and Lamar Jackson/Henry for the scariest shotgun formation.

Kansas City Chiefs, 31st or 32nd depending on Super Bowl results

What would it mean?

The team who has made five of the past six Super Bowls would add a top-10 talent in the draft.

Should they draft him?

Yes. Entering the 2020 draft, the Chiefs were fresh off their first Super Bowl victory with Patrick Mahomes. They drafted LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the final pick of the first round, which was seen as a luxury pick by most.

KC used a menagerie of backs in 2019 on the way to the championship and didn’t have a true workhorse, but CEH didn’t seem to plug that hole. He was seen as a pass-catching back who could change the pace and play on third down, something that can be extremely valuable but maybe not worth their top pick.

When Mahomes was sacked three times in the following Super Bowl and pressured all game by Tampa Bay’s relentless defensive front, it looked like maybe the Chiefs could have used an offensive lineman with first-round pedigree more than a rotation back. That was probably what really pushed me off the “no first-round running backs” ledge, believing teams were better off waiting until later in the draft or even into undrafted free agency in order to strengthen more important positions.

Jeanty isn’t Edwards-Helaire, though. The former is a projected horse who just carried the ball 374 times in 2024. That’s a concern on its own, as those carries add up on the body, but it shouldn’t affect 2025 and his rookie contract as much as his later career.

Conclusion

Most teams could probably justify drafting Jeanty, especially anyone after Dallas at pick 12. Those with star backs locked in would just be doubling up, so we can probably count out Philadelphia, Baltimore, the Rams, and others, but again, with the value-versus-position question different for each team, some squad could take Jeanty surprisingly early.

No matter where he ends up, Jeanty will likely be an impact fantasy player. It’s hard to imagine him sitting behind anyone unless he were to join forces with someone like Barkley or Henry, and every starting back is worth fantasy consideration. We’ll know more about his fantasy potential once free agency and the draft play out.