After a rookie year spent learning the league, Ashton Jeanty now becomes the steady anchor of the Raiders backfield

May 20, 2026 at 05:07 PM

Raiders Columnist

It wasn't that long ago when Ashton Jeanty was the new kid on the block. A Silver Surfer, so to speak, still getting his sea legs.

Now?

The second-year running back is the vet in the Raiders offensive backfield, what with a pair of new quarterbacks in Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza and a new yin to his yang in fourth-round draft pick Mike Washington, Jr.

Fast times for a guy who is just starting to see the NFL game slow down.

"Just focusing in more on the details, what the defense is doing, how we're blocking things, coverage, all that type of stuff," Jeanty said when asked what he was concentrating on mentally entering Year 2.

"So, it's definitely slowing down, and I think it's also just repetition as well. The more you rep it, the more the game slows down."

Fair enough.

But the Raiders are also hoping Jeanty speeds up physically, too, in new coach Klint Kubiak's offensive scheme.

After all, Jeanty led all NFL rookies with 975 rushing yards, 1,321 yards from scrimmage, and, with five rushing touchdowns and five receiving TDs, became the fifth player in NFL history with that many scores in each category in his rookie season.

All while routinely being battered behind the line of scrimmage.

It all has Kubiak breaking into a smile, slight as it may be.

"We want to put a lot of pressure on Ashton," Kubiak said. "The next guy that steps up, whoever that may be, that's going to be seen here in practice, OTAs and training camp, but we think we should continue to challenge Ashton and get more out of him.

"It's important to have a quality second back, but the best player has got to play, and we've got to get them on the field as much as we can. I don't know the play-snap percentage, but you look at [49ers running back] Christian McCaffrey, his play-snap percentage is high. So, those great backs, they don't want to come off the field."

Related Links

Jeanty added his own grin.

"I look forward to it a lot," he said. "I mean, obviously I want to help the team win as much as I can, and if I don't have to, I don't want to come off the field."

Boom.

Which brings us to Washington, who told me on Upon Further Review after the draft that while he is here to complement Jeanty and the Raiders running game, he also plans on one day wearing a gold jacket.

But it all starts with Jeanty, and how the "grizzled vet" of the Raiders offensive backfield coalesces with the new guys around him.

Guys like 15th-year vet Kirk Cousins: "Just great energy and, obviously, Kirk playing in the league a while, just that experience, leadership," Jeanty said. "He's bringing that energy, and he's a passionate football player and everybody loves that."

Guys like No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza: "A rookie, but he did some special things in college," Jeanty said, "and he's going to continue to learn and help lead as well."

And guys like Washington: "He's going to be a great player for us," Jeanty said. "I like how he's coming to work and just putting his head down and trying to get better each and every single day. So, just super excited to have him in the room."

It's a new, but familiar role for Jeanty, the No. 6 pick of the 2025 Draft who was a Heisman Trophy finalist at Boise State.

Thing is, it's only new for him in this building and in this uniform. And he's not about to dodge the responsibility.

But it all begins within, yes?

"Yeah, I'd say just my routine," Jeanty said. "Obviously, rookie year, you don't really get a true offseason so, still, even this year, this is my, like, first real one. So [I'm] figuring out how I want my diet to be, what time I want to train.

"Like, when do I want to start training? When should I take a vacation? So, just dialing in all those things, so I can be ready to go."

Sounds like a vet move.

1 / 105

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Cory Rucker (82) at an Organized Team Activity (OTA) at Intermountain Health Performance Center.