Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty made a statement in the second preseason game of his career on Saturday night. This time, it came against the San Francisco 49ers.
Jeanty's number was called in the first quarter. He took the ball, found the hole and attacked the gap. He ran over 49ers defender Deommodore Lenoir on his way to the first down.
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The Raiders lost 22-19 and Jeanty rushed for 33 yards on seven carries and scored a touchdown. But it was the moment he and his teammates were talking about after the game.
He said bowling over Lenoir was his "I'm here" moment.
"Definitely today, for sure. And it takes time as a rookie to kind of gain that confidence. And I'm here, I've arrived, and it's time to keep going and make plays for this team," he said.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith lauded Jeanty's play.
"Man, it fires me up just seeing him the way that he runs," Smith said. "He's running through people, and he's not shying away from contact. I think he's going to be a really special player, like I've always said, and I think he's just got to keep working.
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"There's a lot of things that he can get better at as well, but to see him in space with the ball in his hands and how dynamic he is, it was great to see."
Jeanty had another run on 3rd-and-long, which turned the head of head coach Pete Carroll.
"Chip [Kelly] had a call that he called to give him a chance, believing that he could do it, and the guys up front could take advantage," Carroll said of the play. "They're getting pass rush in loads right there, so you have to adjust your blocking, but we did a really nice job. The way he [Jeanty] hits the line of scrimmage, he gives you a feel, and I was really fired up about that. Everybody was on the sidelines as well with him getting his first touchdown, that helps us all."
The Raiders' season is still a few weeks away from kickoff, but there is definitely excitement around one of the top college football running backs from last season.
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