Ashton Jeanty Had 'No Doubt' He Would Be a Raider

Jeanty had several suitors in this draft class, and rumors swirled that the Jacksonville Jaguars were considering taking him one spot ahead of the Raiders. Ultimately, the Jags traded up and selected Travis Hunter at No. 2 overall. 

Jeanty knew he would be a Raider deep down. He joined Maxx Crosby on the latest episode of his podcast, The Rush, to discuss how it happened. 

“I didn’t really have any doubt,” he said. “Another thing, Pete Carroll and Coach Deland [McCullough], they both called me. It was a week before the draft. I remember that I was in California doing something, and they called me. They were just talking about different little things they have to fix on my game. They’re like, ‘Is this something that you’ll be committed to fixing?’ I think Geno [Smith] was on the phone; he was probably in the distance listening, too. But if I’m on the board at No. 6, I’m going to the Raiders. There’s no way I’m not.”

Crosby recalled the Jacksonville rumors. 

“I remember this, too,” he said. “Right before the draft, it’s like the day before. I thought Jacksonville was about to come in and shock everybody, because all the reports start coming out. But they low-key set a smokescreen with the whole Travis trade and everything. But I was like, ‘If these mother ... come in and take him, I’m going to be mad as ...’”

It has to feel good for Jeanty knowing how badly Crosby wanted him as a teammate, even if Crosby will never admit that’s how he felt. 

Jeanty has high expectations for himself, and the team has high expectations of him. 

With the draft in the past and now officially being a member of the Silver and Black, Jeanty can turn his attention to being the player the team needs him to be. 

Jeanty is a major reason why Raider Nation is excited for the upcoming season.