Following a phenomenal season that significantly boosted his draft prospects, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft.
Jeanty shared the news via social media, expressing his excitement to pursue his NFL dreams and represent Boise State at the professional level.
In his sophomore year, Jeanty rushed for an impressive 1,347 yards. This past season, he nearly doubled that figure, accumulating 2,601 rushing yards. This remarkable achievement places him second on the all-time single-season rushing list, just shy of Barry Sanders' record. During his exceptional season, Jeanty surpassed the rushing totals of both Melvin Gordon and Kevin Smith, notably achieving this milestone during the College Football Playoff game against a formidable Penn State defense.
Jeanty's outstanding performance led the Broncos to a Mountain West Conference championship and secured them a spot in the CFP quarterfinals. Despite his earlier success, Jeanty's 104 rushing yards in the quarterfinal matchup against Penn State marked his lowest single-game total of the season, ending Boise State's playoff run. Prior to this game, Jeanty had consistently rushed for over 125 yards in each of his 13 games.
Jeanty is widely projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming draft. The 2024 season witnessed a resurgence in the value of the running back position, and Jeanty is considered the top prospect at his position. While first-round selections for running backs are uncommon, Jeanty's exceptional skills and the renewed emphasis on the running game suggest he could be chosen early in the draft, with some mock drafts predicting him to be selected within the first 20 picks.
Jeanty finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, narrowly losing to Travis Hunter in the closest vote since 2009.
