Taking Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL Draft has "far more risk" than some might realize, according to longtime draft analyst Tom Fornelli.
Jeanty nearly passed Barry Sanders for the most single-season rushing yards in college football as a junior with the Broncos last season.
He led the nation in rushing (2,601 yards) with 29 touchdowns, helping lead Boise State to a College Football Playoff appearance.
Beyond Jeanty's skillset as a ball carrier, the Heisman Trophy runner-up also provides versatility as a receiver. Through three seasons at Boise State, Jeanty racked up 80 catches for 862 yards with six touchdowns.
All things considered, it's not Jeanty's ability or production that has caught Fornelli's attention. The concern stems from the combine measurements, in which Jeanty weighed in at 5-foot-8.5, 211 pounds.
Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images
Fornelli compiled a list of NFL running backs who were 5-feet-8 or shorter to amass at least 4,500 career-rushing yards. Surprisingly, only four players have accomplished that feat, including Sanders, Maurice Jones-Drew, Joe Morris and Devonta Freeman.
"I'm not here to tell you Jeanty will be a bust because I don't believe that to be the case," Fornelli wrote. "All I'm trying to say is that if he isn't, he'll be an outlier. There's far more risk here than we all seem to realize."
Despite the supposed risk, Fornelli projects Jeanty to land to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 9 overall via a trade with the New Orleans Saints.
Jeanty did not participate in workouts at the combine. Instead, he will take the field in front of NFL personnel at Boise State's Pro Day on March 26.
The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 2:50 PM.