REPORT: Raiders RB Targets' Get Startling NFL Comparisons

The Las Vegas Raiders might be in the market for a running back in the draft. Their top targets just received big comparisons.

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, US; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) tries to break past Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Dominic DeLuca (0) during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders may very well draft a running back high. The 2024 resurgence of the position was telling about how crucial the run game remains for success in the NFL, and coach Pete Carroll himself has even made remarks about how important it is to have a strong run game to ease the pressure elsewhere.

The Raiders have been projected to draft Boise State sensation Ashton Jeanty, a fast, angry, versatile running back who eclipsed 2,000 yards by a mile and has generational talent written all over him. They have also been projected to use their second-round pick on running backs Omarion Hampton of North Carolina or Kaleb Johnson of Iowa, both a lock to be RB1 impact players on Day 1.

33rd Team's Tyler Brooke compares Jeanty to a "supercharged Doug Martin". Martin spent six years in Tampa and one with Oakland, rushing for over 5,000 career yards and earning All-Pro honors.

"The biggest reason that Ashton Jeanty is garnering first-round buzz is his elite contact balance in a compact frame," Brooke wrote. "The first running back that comes to mind with that play style is the Muscle Hamster. As a rookie, Martin produced more than 1,000 yards after contact, keeping a low center of gravity while breaking tackles and picking up chunks of yards. While his career wasn't consistent, Martin was still a two-time Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro in 2015.

"That best version of Martin is what Jeanty could be for an NFL team. He basically broke PFF's metrics for college running backs, producing more yards after contact (1,970) than any other running back had in total rushing yards, all while forcing an obscene 151 missed tackles. There are a lot of 'what ifs?' when it comes to Martin's long-term career, but Jeanty could show NFL fans what the best version of that type of running back could look like."

Johnson was compared to former Pittsburgh Steelers star James Conner.

"There aren't a lot of 6-foot-2 running backs in the league, but someone with a body type and play style similar to Kaleb Johnson would be James Conner," wrote Brooke.

"While he's not a home-run hitter, Johnson consistently won at Iowa. He used excellent vision and contact balance to pick up chunks of yards consistently. He produced more than 1,000 yards after contact, rushing for more than 1,500 yards and 21 touchdowns in his final college season. ... That kind of long-term workhorse back is what Johnson could become in the NFL, and there's an outside chance his play style will get him to sneak into the first round."

Hampton has been tied to the Raiders the most, even during early mocks throughout the season. Hampton garnered comparisons to Joe Mixon of the Houston Texans.

"In another draft class, there's a good chance that Omarion Hampton would be RB1 because the comparisons to Joe Mixon are easy to visualize," Brooke wrote. "With a nearly identical frame at 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Hampton brings legitimate power behind his pads, combined with excellent contact balance to break tackles with consistency. On top of that, Hampton brings solid breakaway speed and elusiveness in open space to keep defenders guessing instead of always trying to run through them.

"That should immediately bring Mixon to mind. While he has earned his reputation as a power back, the current Houston Texans running back is also capable of winning by bouncing to the outside or forcing defenders to whiff in 1-on-1 situations."

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