Why Ashton Jeanty Can Be the Running Back Who Finally Wins Rookie of the Year Again

The list of all-time great running backs who won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors is impressive.

You’d need three or four paragraphs to recite them all. We’ll name five — Earl Campbell (1978), Barry Sanders (1989), Emmitt Smith (1990), Marshall Faulk (1994) and Adrian Peterson (2007).

Apologies to the Hall of Famers not mentioned, but the point is this: If a running back someday becomes a legend, he likely won Rookie of the Year honors while getting his career off to a great start.

That’s the situation facing Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty as he takes aim at NFL stardom.

Jeanty was the Heisman Trophy runner-up at Boise State after putting together one of the best running back seasons in college football history in 2024. His 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground rank second behind Sanders’ epic 1988 campaign at Oklahoma State.

Jeanty’s top competition will come from Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward and Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Travis Hunter. The dark horses include Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton and New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough.

Though running backs have traditionally fared well in this race, the last rookie to win was Saquon Barkley (then of the New York Giants) in 2018.

Since then, four quarterbacks and two receivers have earned the honor. Quarterback Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders was last season’s top rookie.

Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick, has a solid chance to end the recent running back drought.

Not only does he have breakaway speed — he had five touchdown runs of 70 or more yards last season — but he also breaks tackles with ease.

Jeanty also will be playing for a head coach in Pete Carroll who favors a bell-cow back, meaning he’ll get plenty of carries. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is also known for featuring top backs heavily.

Jeanty will catch more passes in the pros, as opposed to college, where simply handing him the ball and getting out of the way was often the best strategy.

To outduel Ward, Jeanty will likely need at least 1,500 scrimmage yards — and may need to approach 2,000.

Barkley totaled 2,028 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns in 2018 while edging out then-Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Barkley rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 scores.

In 2017, Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints won the award with 1,556 scrimmage yards, beating out another running back in Kareem Hunt, then with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ward will be a strong competitor. Only an injury or being completely overwhelmed will prevent him from being the Game 1 starter for Tennessee.

And if you’ve watched even one Ward interview, you know he doesn’t lack confidence.

Ward passed for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns last season at Miami, with just seven interceptions. He added four rushing scores and finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.

Ward is a significant upgrade over Will Levis, the Titans’ second-round pick in 2023. The other quarterbacks on the roster are journeymen Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle.

As for Hunter, the big question is how his snaps will be split between offense and defense — or whether training camp will determine he’s better as a primary player on one side of the ball and a complementary piece on the other. He’s a top-tier cornerback.

At Colorado last season, the Heisman winner delivered a standout receiving campaign with 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Recent receivers to win the award include the Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase (2021) and the New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson (2022).

Hampton could emerge if the Chargers’ backfield remains unsettled. Veteran free agent Najee Harris was added in the offseason, and Hampton will likely share carries at the outset. He rushed for 1,660 yards and 15 touchdowns at North Carolina in 2024.

Shough could also start, particularly if Derek Carr undergoes shoulder surgery. Even if Carr is healthy, new head coach Kellen Moore may want to move on and go with the team’s second-round pick. Shough passed for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions at Louisville last season.