Two off-seasons ago, there were discussions around the NFL about running back value declining, with players like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs all meeting and pleading for fair value.
Fast-forward two springs, and Barkley just became the NFL’s first $20 million per season running back, while the position has clearly regained its value around the league. The 2025 NFL draft is one week from tonight, and former Boise State star Ashton Jeanty is looking to convince 31 other teams that he can be their version of Saquon Barkley.
In an open letter to all 32 teams, the Heisman Trophy finalist explained to The Players Tribune why he should be picked.
“Most people, they watched the Eagles win the Super Bowl a couple of months ago, they watched Saquon run through everyone in the playoffs, and they thought to themselves, This is amazing,” Jeanty wrote. “I watched it and I thought something different. I thought, That can be me.”
In 14 games last season, Jeanty totaled 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging seven yards per carry on 374 carries. Jeanty’s rushing total is the second highest for a running back in FBS history, behind only Barry Sanders’ 1988 campaign (2,628 yards).
Barkley led the league with a franchise record of 2,005 rushing yards, making him the ninth player in NFL history to post 2,000+ rushing yards in a season. Overall, Barkley logged the 8th-most rushing yards in league history, trailing only Eric Dickerson in 1984 (2,105), Adrian Peterson in 2012 (2,097), Jamal Lewis in 2003 (2,066), Barry Sanders in 1997 (2,053), Derrick Henry in 2020 (2,027), Terrell Davis in 1998 (2,008) and Chris Johnson in 2009 (2,006).
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 2025 NFL Draft: Ashton Jeanty compares himself to Saquon Barkley
Two off-seasons ago, there were discussions around the NFL about running back value declining, with players like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs all meeting and pleading for fair value.
Fast-forward two springs, and Barkley just became the NFL’s first $20 million per season running back, while the position has clearly regained its value around the league. The 2025 NFL draft is one week from tonight, and former Boise State star Ashton Jeanty is looking to convince 31 other teams that he can be their version of Saquon Barkley.
In an open letter to all 32 teams, the Heisman Trophy finalist explained to The Players Tribune why he should be picked.
“Most people, they watched the Eagles win the Super Bowl a couple of months ago, they watched Saquon run through everyone in the playoffs, and they thought to themselves, This is amazing,” Jeanty wrote. “I watched it and I thought something different. I thought, That can be me.”
In 14 games last season, Jeanty totaled 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging seven yards per carry on 374 carries. Jeanty’s rushing total is the second highest for a running back in FBS history, behind only Barry Sanders’ 1988 campaign (2,628 yards).
Barkley led the league with a franchise record of 2,005 rushing yards, making him the ninth player in NFL history to post 2,000+ rushing yards in a season. Overall, Barkley logged the 8th-most rushing yards in league history, trailing only Eric Dickerson in 1984 (2,105), Adrian Peterson in 2012 (2,097), Jamal Lewis in 2003 (2,066), Barry Sanders in 1997 (2,053), Derrick Henry in 2020 (2,027), Terrell Davis in 1998 (2,008) and Chris Johnson in 2009 (2,006).
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 2025 NFL Draft: Ashton Jeanty compares himself to Saquon Barkley
