NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
Ashton Jeanty is less than 48 hours from fulfilling his lifelong dream of hearing his name called the NFL draft.
The former Boise State star became a superstar of the 2024 season by hurting the second most yards of a college season ever and came straight from Barry Sanders’ all-time record.
But in a time when running his back is rarely picked early, Jeanny becomes a first round, maybe even top 10, picking.
CLICK HERE for more sports cover at Foxnews.com
Boise State, who runs back Ashton Jeanty (2), runs past the Penn State Linebacker Kobe King under the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., December 31, 2024. (IMagn)
Jeanty will be at the draft of Green Bay to take advantage of “one time-in-life opportunity.”
“The draft when I watched it on TV, I always said, ‘One day, you want to be a first round. If you put the work in and get the opportunity, go,'” Jeanty Pakinomist told Digital in a recent interview. “Go across the scene, shake the Commissioner’s hand … It was a no-brainer to have this experience.”
That moment with Goodell is determined on his mind and he plans to make it become viral.
“Must do a small handshake. But I might make him hit a couple of dance traits, a two-step or something,” Jeanty said of his plans. “I don’t think he can dance like that, but we’ll have to get him started.”
Boise State, who runs back Ashton Jeanty, runs towards Penn State under the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., December 31, 2024. (Mark J. Revilas-prescribed images)
Get Full 2025 NFL draft coverage with real-time choices, expert analysis and can’t miss moments
Jeanty is not sure which team’s hat he should wear when he starts dancing with Goodell. The top three candidates, he thinks, are the bears, Raiders and Cowboys. But the NFL draft always comes with some twists.
“I think there are teams that may be shopping, but you never know. It could be a team that you didn’t even talk to that makes a step,” he said.
He had a direct message to all 32 teams last week in a piece of “Players’ Tribune”, where he asked each of them to “prepare the guy they can’t tackle.” There wasn’t a whole lot of tackle by Jeanty last year when he spoiled in 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns.
These numbers are unheard of in the NFL, but Jeanty is convinced that he will live up to his hype.
Boise State, who runs back Ashton Jeanty (2), pushes away from the arms of UNLV Defense Lineman Tatuo Martinson in the first half of Mountain West Championship on December 6, 2024 in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Steve Conner)
“The work I put in every single day, I’m just sure how I work and continue to get better,” he said. “Obviously, it will be a learning curve with a new offense, but skill is there. If you have skill, it doesn’t matter what violation you are in, what scheme you run. You can bring these skills to life. Breaking tackles, it doesn’t matter what scheme you are in. You just have that ability.
“And I feel like in my time in Boise State, I had another and pretty much every year and another violation, but the most important thing remained the same: I was able to break tackles and be a playmaker. I feel the same will happen at the next level.”
