After his stock skyrocketed thanks to a once-in-a-generation season, Ashton Jeanty becomes a professional.
The Boise State running backas soon as he came up short of rewriting the record books, he announced that he would declare for the NFL draft.
“The opportunity to play in the NFL is a dream of mine and I am proud to represent Boise State and all those who have helped me on my journey to the next level,” Jeanty wrote in a social media post.
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Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (2) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Laramie, Wyo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
As a sophomore in 2023, Jeanty rushed for 1,347 yards — nearly doubling that last season.
Jeanty ran for 2,601 yards, 28 shy of Barry Sanders for the most in a college season. His epic campaign, however, put him second on the all-time rushing list, as he surpassed Melvin Gordon and Kevin Smith during his only College Football Playoff game against a stout Penn State defense.
Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) is interviewed by Fox Sports reporter Allison Williams after the game against the UNLV Rebels at Albertsons Stadium on Dec. 6, 2024. (Brian Losness-Imagn Images)
Jeanty’s performance propelled the Broncos to a Mountain West victory and a run to the CFP quarterfinals. However, Jeanty only rushed for a season-low 104 yards as the Nittany Lions advanced to the semifinals. Entering the Fiesta Bowl, Jeanty had rushed for more than 125 yards in each of the previous 13 games of the season.
The running back could be the first pick this season, and it’s hard to see why he wouldn’t be. The 2024 season has seen a revitalization of the running back position, and Jeanty is undoubtedly the best at the plate this year.
It’s pretty rare to see running backs taken in the first round, though there were two such instances in 2023 — but then again, with his skills and the way the position has regained its value this year, some mock drafts have Jeanty picked in the teens.
Running back Ashton Jeanty #2 of the Boise State Broncos celebrates a touchdown during the first half against the UCF Knights at Albertsons Stadium on September 9, 2023 in Boise, Idaho. (Loren Orr/Getty Images)
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Jeanty finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, falling to Travis Hunter in the tightest vote since 2009.
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