Ashton Jeanty’s journey grabbed attention from the Mountain West championship game all the way to the NFL Draft. This list of stories outlines his electric 75-yard touchdown run against UNLV, his runner-up finish in a historic Heisman Trophy race, and his quest to break Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record at the Fiesta Bowl. NFL scouts watched closely at both the NFL Scouting Combine and Boise State’s pro day, where Jeanty impressed in receiving drills but skipped other workouts.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Jordan Reid expect him to be a top-10 NFL pick, with the Raiders eyeing him as a game-changing addition after their rough 2024 rushing season. Jeanty’s legacy at Boise State is set, and NFL teams are lining up for a chance to draft his explosive talent.
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty answers questions during media day for the Fiesta Bowl on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 at the Camelback Inn. By Abby Drey
NO. 1: HOW GOOD IS JEANTY? PENN STATE PLAYERS SOUND OFF: ‘HE SHOULD HAVE WON THE HEISMAN’
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty has impressed both Penn State’s offense and defense, who compared him to the likes of Alvin Kamara and Blake Corum. | Published December 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty finds room to run against Oregon State at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. By Darin Oswald
NO. 2: BOISE STATE’S ASHTON JEANTY JUST MISSES OUT ON HEISMAN TROPHY, BUT WINS FANS’ VOTE
The junior running back joined Kellen Moore as the only Broncos to be finalists for the award, but Jeanty’s finish as runner-up sets new program standard. | Published December 15, 2024 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the Mountain West Championship trophy, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 at Albertsons Stadium. By Sarah A. Miller
NO. 3: EFFICIENCY, EXPLOSIVENESS AND ‘A LOT OF RHYTHM’: JEANTY, MADSEN LIFT BRONCOS’ OFFENSE
“Not only is this one of the best teams in the nation, but they’ve got one of the best players in the nation.” | Published December 7, 2024 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the Mountain West Championship trophy, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 at Albertsons Stadium. By Sarah A. Miller
NO. 4: HOW TIGHT-KNIT IS BOISE STATE’S TEAM? THIS LINEMAN IS GETTING AN ASHTON JEANTY TATTOO
It was all part of a deal made over the summer, before the Heisman Trophy runner-up went on a rampage this season. | Published December 28, 2024 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen makes a pass during the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at State Farm Stadium. By Abby Drey
NO. 5: MISTAKES PILE UP, JEANTY BOTTLED UP: BOISE STATE’S BANNER YEAR ENDS WITH FIESTA BOWL LOSS
The Broncos trailed the entire time against Penn State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game. | Published December 31, 2024 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin Jim Keyser
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty jogs during practice for the Fiesta Bowl on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024 Indian School Park. By Abby Drey
NO. 6: JEANTY AND HASSANEIN PARTICIPATE IN NFL COMBINE. ONLY ONE BRONCO DOING ON-FIELD WORKOUTS
At least nine NFL teams have requested a formal interview with former Boise State superstar Ashton Jeanty this weekend. | Published February 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Penn State linebacker Kobe King tries to stop Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty during the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 at State Farm Stadium. By Abby Drey
NO. 7: NEW ESPN MOCK DRAFT HAS ASHTON JEANTY AMONG TOP 10 NFL PICKS. HERE’S WHERE, AND WHY
The former Boise State star, who was the Heisman Trophy runner-up, very well might be the first running back taken. | Published March 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty runs skill drills in front of a host of NFL scouts on Pro Day in Boise, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. By Darin Oswald
NO. 8: JEANTY WORKS OUT AT BOISE STATE PRO DAY, TALKS NFL LANDING SPOTS. IS MORE HISTORY AHEAD?
Having abstained from NFL Combine drills last month, the Heisman Trophy runner-up participated some Wednesday. “There’s not really much question marks on my game.” | Published March 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Boise State running back Jambres Dubar fights off a tackle by Utah State linebacker John Miller. Boise State defeated Utah State 62-30 at Albertson’s Stadium in Boise, Idaho. By Kyle Green
NO. 9: ‘WE’RE NOT ASHTON’: IN YOUNG BOISE STATE RB ROOM, A NEW LEADER SAYS BACKS HAVE BIG GOALS
Jambres “Breezy” Dubar had a tough 2024 season, but he’s looking forward to a healthy, productive 2025 with a new group of running backs. | Published April 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty runs skill drills in front of a host of NFL scouts on Pro Day in Boise, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. By Darin Oswald
NO. 10: ASHTON JEANTY TO LAS VEGAS? WHY AN ESPN DRAFT EXPERT EXPECTS HIM TO BE A RAIDER
“I think Jeanty can certainly be a Rookie of the Year candidate,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. told the Idaho Statesman. | Published April 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Shaun Goodwin
This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.
