The Las Vegas Raiders have plenty of roster needs this offseason but running back has to be near the top. Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah will be free agents and Zamir White played poorly in 2024.
Unlike last year, the free agent pool won’t be loaded with top running back talent. That could lead the Raiders to look to address the position in the draft. It’s been increasingly rare for running backs to be taken in the first round but there might be an exception in this year’s draft.
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty had one of the most impressive seasons for a running back in NCAA history having rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024. No. 6 would be very high to take a running back but that’s what Alan Goldsher of Pro Football Network is projecting the Raiders will do.
“Is it possible that the running back position has become undervalued? The Las Vegas Raiders lack firepower all over the offense — the team’s four top rushers combined for 1,097 yards, a total that was eclipsed by 10 individuals — and would do well to ignore the prevailing drafting approach and scoop a potential 1,500-yard rusher,” Goldsher wrote in a Jan. 16 mock draft.
Drafting Jeanty Could Be More Likely if Ben Johnson Is Head Coach
Drafting Jeanty at No. 6 could be a significant reach as the Raiders have far bigger needs. Typically, teams don’t start drafting running backs in the first round unless they’re ready to compete.
The Raiders likely aren’t competing for a Super Bowl next season. However, there are many rumors that the team will hire Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. He’s had the luxury of having one of the best running back duos in the NFL between Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
The Lions famously used the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Gibbs so Johnson has seen drafting a running back in the first round being very successful firsthand. That said, if the Raiders really want Jeanty, they should at least trade down a few slots. It’s hard to imagine another team would use a top-10 pick on a running back with so many other good players available.
Other RBs Worth Drafting
Jeanty is without a doubt the top running back prospect in the 2025 draft class but he’s not the only one who could have a lot of upside in the NFL. Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina ran for 1,660 yards this season and could be available in the second round. It’s worth noting that Johnson went to North Carolina and could be familiar with Hampton’s work.
Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and Treveyon Henderson are both high-end NFL prospects and could be on the Raiders’ radar. If Las Vegas wants to wait until the third or fourth round, they could consider Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo.
He was arguably the second-best running back in the nation behind Jeanty this season but he lacks high-end athletic traits so he’ll fall in the draft. He’d be an interesting player to take a chance on with a Day 3 pick and it’s easy to see him having an instant impact with a creative playcaller like Johnson at the helm.
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