Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings fans react during the game against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
Maybe he’ll fall into the 20s.
That’s the word from NBC Sports this week on Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who will enter the 2025 NFL Draft and become the top tailback prospect by a mile.
And according to Connor Rogers, the Minnesota Vikings could snag Jeanty with the 28th overall pick. In his latest mock draft, Rogers assigned Jeanty to the Vikings and wrote: “Aaron Jones on a one-year deal at age 30 has been a home run for the Vikings, but adding Jeanty to this offense next year would be flat-out ridiculous. He has some of the best balance and vision I’ve evaluated at the position and would be a day one star in Minnesota.”
Mock drafts are just starting to pop up in full force, with 18 teams eliminated from playoff contention. Minnesota, meanwhile, will play the Los Angeles Rams in the postseason this Monday. The purple team’s draft pick is guaranteed to be in the 20s.
Most draft heads don’t expect Jeanty to be available past the Top 15 or so picks, so the Rogers mock draft is especially noteworthy. In theory, if Jeanty fell all the way to the Vikings, they’d be virtually guaranteed to pounce.
Jeanty is unbelievably dynamic and might even be a more electrifying prospect than Atlanta Falcons runner Bijan Robinson a couple of years ago. He banked 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns for the Broncos (the college version) this season and is one of the draft’s hottest commodities accordingly.
Too, Minnesota will have a need at running back. Ty Chandler is the only halfback scheduled to be attached to the 2025 roster, as Aaron Jones and Cam Akers are due to hit free agency in 2.5 months. Of course, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can somewhat easily re-sign Jones and Akers, but initially, the RB cupboard is barren for 2025 roster-building.
Last week, ESPN’s Mel Kiper also connected Jeanty to Minnesota, “The Browns might be a fit for Jeanty, too, even though they have bigger issues. Nick Chubb will be a free agent and has a broken foot. What about the Saints? They have Alvin Kamara under contract but need more playmakers in that offense. Maybe the Bears take a shot on Jeanty to help Caleb Williams. I also think the Vikings and Steelers could make the move if Jeanty slides a little bit. They both have pending free agents at RB1 right now in Aaron Jones and Najee Harris, respectively.”
Jeanty doesn’t really have any weaknesses besides possibly refining his route tree as a pass-catcher, but that could be extreme nitpicking.
Vikings fans would do cartwheels if Jeanty fell all the way down the board to Adofo-Mensah.
Jeanty turned 21 last month.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.