Dallas Cowboys 2025 draft scouting report: RB Ashton Jeanty

Ashton Jeanty is a popular name among Cowboys fans.

We continue our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at running back Ashton Jeanty from Boise State.

Ashton Jeanty

RB
Boise State Broncos
Junior
4-star recruit
5’9”
215 lbs

Photo by Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images

History

Ashton Jeanty, born on December 2, 2003, in Jacksonville, Florida, played football initially at Great Bridge Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia but he moved around due to his father’s service as a U.S. Navy chief petty officer. Jeanty’s high school career was notable; at Lone Star High School in Texas, where he transitioned from quarterback to running back and recorded 1,843 rushing yards, 810 receiving yards, and 41 total touchdowns during his senior year. With limited offers, Jeanty accepted an offer by Boise State and joined the team in 2022.

In his first year at Boise State, Jeanty played in a shared backfield. He participated in all 14 games, starting in two, and wrapped up the season with 821 yards from 156 carries, scoring seven touchdowns. In his sophomore year, he again found himself in a committee but led the team in rushing yards with 1,347 and 14 touchdowns. He recorded 569 receiving yards, ranking second on the team and leading all running backs nationwide, along with five receiving touchdowns. Additionally, he earned the title of Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year.

Jeanty’s statistical achievements remained remarkable in 2024 as he led the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) with 2,739 yards from scrimmage, 2,601 rushing yards, and scoring 29 rushing touchdowns. He set records, including breaking a 46-year-old single-game rushing record for Boise State with 267 yards and six touchdowns against Georgia Southern. He ended the year being named Unanimous All-American, Maxwell Award winner, Doak Walker Award recipient, Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

2024 Statistics

798 Offensive Snaps
374 Rush Attempts
2,601 Rush Yards
7.0 Yards Pre Carry
29 Rushing TDs
23 Receptions
138 Receiving Yards
1 Rec TD
4 Fumbles
120 First Downs

NFL Combine/Pro Day

TBC

Awards

All-American (2024)
Maxwell Award (2024)
Doak Walker Award (2024)
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award (2024)
Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year (2024)
First-team All-Mountain West (2024)
All-American (2023)
Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year (2023)
First-team All-Mountain West (2023)

Scorecard

Overall- 90.0
Speed- 88
Acceleration- 92
Agility- 89
Strength- 82
Contact Balance- 94
Vision- 88
Elusiveness- 83
Receiving- 79
Blocking- 61
Discipline- 98

THE GOOD

• Jeanty demonstrates remarkable field awareness and vision, showcasing his ability to spot running opportunities.
• Shows good patience allowing the play to unfold, making him a valuable asset in both zone and gap running strategies.
• He possesses elite contact balance, making him extremely difficult to bring down, often pinballing off defenders.
• His burst and second gear in the open field can lead to game-changing plays.
• Combines power with agility, allowing him to be a threat both inside in the A-gaps and on the perimeter.
• His receiving skills are notable, with soft hands.
• A true three-down back and workhorse for any team.

THE BAD:

• Very small in size.
• While explosive, he lacks elite top-end speed, which might limit his ability to consistently break long runs against NFL defenses.
• He rarely faced solid run defenses last season. On the one occasion he did (Penn State), he failed to score, averaged only 3.5 yards per carry and had two fumbles.
• While willing, his technique in pass protection needs refinement. His hands are sloppy and base needs coaching.
• There are instances where his lateral agility seems average, potentially getting caught between the tackles when pressing the line of scrimmage.
• He has shown some issues with fumbling, which is a concern for NFL teams.
• A lot of tread off the tire with so much usage in college.

THE FIT

Ashton Jeanty is seen as the best talent at the running back position in this year’s draft with the potential to be an immediate impact player in the NFL. His mix of vision, contact balance, and versatility makes him a top prospect. His overall skill set suggests he could be a bell-cow back capable of shouldering a significant workload and contributing in all facets of the game.

He does come with some questions concerns. They mostly stem around the level of competition he faced and whether he’s truly battle tested. He also raises concerns over his high snap count while at Boise State.

As for how he lines up with Dallas is simple. The Cowboys have historically valued versatile backs who can contribute significantly in both the run and pass game. Jeanty’s exceptional ability to make plays out of the backfield would complement Dak Prescott as well Brian Schottenheimer’s rushing and play-action game.

Additionally, Jeanty’s knack for breaking tackles would add a dynamic element to the Cowboys’ offense, which lacked a true, game-changing running back last season. His physicality and ability to handle a heavy workload would also provide stability and reduce the need for depth at the position, making him a strategic pick for both roster dynamics and cap space reasons.

COMPARISON

Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks

BTB GRADE:

18th

CONSENSUS RANKING:

10th
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scoring services)