Trade calls. Draft day dreams. And one name that had Sean Payton circling the top 10 like a hawk. Before we get into the what-could-have-been for the Mile High faithful, let’s take a peek at what’s going on in Sin City. Tom Brady’s silver and black are gearing up for a fireworks show on offense, and all eyes are now on the new No. 6 pick. The guy the Raiders believe could tilt the field in their favor. While Denver was plotting a bold move up the board, Las Vegas was locking in its guy—and wouldn’t budge an inch.
And there’s a reason Raider Nation can’t stop buzzing. Ashton Jeanty isn’t just any rookie—he’s coming into the NFL with a jaw-dropping stat sheet and sky-high expectations. As Owain Jones from Pro Football Network pointed out, “Ashton Jeanty is the frontrunner to take home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award this coming season.” That’s not just fluff—Jeanty forced 170 missed tackles, racked up 1,970 yards after contact, and finished just 26 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ all-time college football record. That kind of production doesn’t just raise eyebrows—it sets off sirens.
Now here’s where it gets wild for Broncos Country. Sean Payton really wanted Ashton Jeanty. But it didn’t happen. Why? Let’s go to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler: “The Broncos considered moving up in the first round for running back Ashton Jeanty. They called around to teams picking in the top 10. But the price simply would have been ‘too heavy’ for Denver’s liking, per a source. And the team eyeing Jeanty (the Raiders at No. 6) was a division rival, thus not a likely trade partner.” So, too expensive, and no way the Raiders were doing business with Denver.
But you know the interesting part is that Jeanty was this close to keeping the same mascot. From a 2,000-yard playoff heater at Boise State to potentially donning orange and navy in Denver. Instead, he’s a Raider now. And he’s stepping into a reloaded offense with Geno Smith, Brock Bowers, and Pete Carroll pulling the strings. Denver didn’t just miss a running back. They might’ve just let a future AFC West nightmare walk straight into a rival huddle.
The #Broncos considered trading into the top 10 of the 2025 NFL Draft for RB Ashton Jeanty, but the price to move up was too high per ESPN pic.twitter.com/3wqaXwZU6i
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) June 29, 2025
However, Payton & Co. did bounce back by scooping up R.J. Harvey, who’s no slouch either. And the former UCF back brings his own juice to the backfield behind Bo Nix. But yeah—if Payton had pulled it off, the script could’ve been a lot different. So, now, Tom Brady, who owns minority stakes at the Raiders, is banking big on Jeanty to deliver a statement season, and early signs say he just might.
Tom Brady’s Raiders pin hope on rookie takeover
Raiders Nation isn’t just excited about football returning to Sin City… It’s fired up about what this offense could look like with Ashton Jeanty in the mix. Not only that, they didn’t just spend a top pick on the Boise State star for show—they plan to use him. And with Chip Kelly now calling plays as the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league, it’s clear they’ve built a system around maximizing Jeanty’s talent.
And that plan gets even scarier when you factor in Pete Carroll. The former Seahawks head coach isn’t new to trusting the ground game. Pairing Jeanty’s aggressive style with Carroll’s old-school lean makes it very likely that the Raiders will run the ball with purpose this season. Even if he’s not pounding the rock 25 times a game, Jeanty’s dual-threat upside gives Geno Smith a reliable check-down option. Of course, that’ll make life a lot easier for a QB trying to settle into a new system.
In fact, it’s not just the Raiders who are buzzing. Fox Sports highlighted Jeanty as a major candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year. And there’s good reason: “Jeanty leads the race early. The Heisman Trophy runner-up finished his final season at Boise State, breaking school records for carries (374), yards (2,601), and touchdowns (29). He was just 27 yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders’ 1988 record of 2,628 yards.”
So, the Raiders are betting big that Jeanty’s record-breaking ways carry over. That means he’s arriving with expectations, a spotlight, and Pete Carroll’s full endorsement. “Everyone’s watching you,” Carroll told him. And clearly, Jeanty’s not blinking. But whether that ends in an Offensive Rookie of the Year trophy… Or just a lot of broken tackles. One thing’s clear: The AFC West better start game-planning for No. 2 in silver and black.
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