HENDERSON, Nev. — Following the ultimate day of the Las Vegas Raiders’ obligatory minicamp, coach Pete Carroll delivered excessive reward for rookie operating again Ashton Jeanty, who has been each little bit of what the group had hoped for up to now.
“He caught the ball effectively, understood stuff, took the whole lot severely [and] gave terrific effort all through,” Carroll mentioned Thursday. “We made a giant deal of him — ‘Everyone’s watching you’ — and he embraced the considered it. And so, it may be thrilling to see what occurs.”
Las Vegas drafted Jeanty with the sixth decide in April’s draft with the expectation that the Heisman Trophy runner-up would enhance the league’s worst speeding assault from final season.
Because the begin of organized group exercise practices in Could, Jeanty has executed an excellent job of getting acclimated to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s scheme. Jeanty has acquired essentially the most first-team reps out of the operating backs on the roster.
Carroll defined the significance of Jeanty and different rookies like vast receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. and cornerback Darien Porter to get these reps in order that they’re able to play early.
“That is what I’ve executed with rookies for a very long time,” Carroll mentioned. “It simply will depend on how effectively you orchestrate what you ask them to do. And if they’ll discover success, that helps our depth and helps us keep aggressive.”
Certainly, it is proper to order some judgment till the pads are on. However sure issues, equivalent to Jeanty’s cuts, contact steadiness, and understanding of the playbook, have the group hopeful that they struck gold with the 21-year-old.
Veteran operating again Raheem Mostert known as Jeanty a “generational expertise.” He turned a fan of Jeanty whereas watching him file 2,601 speeding yards — the second most in a season in FBS historical past, trailing solely Barry Sanders in 1988 — throughout his ultimate season at Boise State.
“The most important factor that impressed me essentially the most was that he was capable of break and take it one other 60 yards,” Mostert mentioned. “That is one thing that is not essentially occurring on the market on the earth proper now.”
Kelly mentioned final month that Jeanty is likely one of the most proficient operating backs he has seen enter the league. He credited Jeanty for being a fast learner and having the skillset to contribute within the passing recreation, as effectively.
Jeanty performed vast receiver in highschool and through his third season at Boise State, he totaled 569 yards on 43 catches.
“He is such a coachable man that you are able to do plenty of issues with him,” Kelly mentioned. “I feel he can play within the slot [and] within the backfield.”
Stated Mostert: “Simply at this time, he caught a few balls and you are like ‘Man, he is gonna be particular.'”
Raiders inside linebacker Devin White has supplied steering to Jeanty, instructing him learn how to get open on his routes and what defenses are on the lookout for.
White, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneer, has leaned on his expertise towards gamers like Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey to assist mentor the younger operating again.
“However he can inform you he had no catches on me, none is off season, in order that simply tells you who’s up, and he higher be prepared for coaching camp,” White mentioned.
Carroll reiterated that he is not going to depend on one participant at operating again. He anticipates a number of gamers contributing on the place, which may result in an intriguing battle throughout coaching camp to see who fills out the rotation.
Carroll thought impressed Mostert, Zamir White and Honest McCormick had a robust exhibiting in the course of the group’s offseason program.
“Once we go to camp, it will simply be recreation on,” Carroll mentioned.