Another ESPN mock draft has Broncos landing Ashton Jeanty
Feb 11, 2025, 1:29 PM
The Denver Broncos need running back help this offseason, and Ashton Jeanty is going to be a popular name.
With the NFL Draft looming in about 2.5 months, the mock drafts are coming fast and furious. ESPN’s Field Yates put his first one together, now that the Super Bowl is over and the offseason is officially here.
And like his colleague Mel Kiper Jr. did last month, Yates thinks Jeanty could fall to the Broncos at No. 20 overall. That’s where he has Denver head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton going with the selection.
“It was hard to go 19 picks without Jeanty coming off the board — he’s one of my five highest-ranked prospects in the class. But he also plays the deepest position in this draft and one on which many teams philosophically are not inclined to use a premium pick,” Yates writes.
With the running back position being cool again, it’s definitely possible that Jeanty could go higher than this. The monster years from Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and others might have NFL front offices re-thinking how important rushers are.
“This would be a dream scenario for the Broncos,” Yates continues. “Jeanty can be a Pro Bowl-level player very early in his career, as his speed, power, contact balance and receiving profile are all excellent.”
Obviously, Jeanty would immediately become the best back in Denver and the workhorse. He proved at Boise State that he’s a special player, barely missing out on the Heisman Trophy that went to Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter.
Jeanty had a monster year, rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. Those are just video-game numbers. In 2023, Jeanty had 43 catches for 569 yards and five touchdowns as a receiver. Those numbers dipped last year, but he’s proven he can be a dynamic pass-catcher as well.
Javonte Williams is likely gone from the Broncos this offseason, and Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime have shown flashes, but don’t appear to be every down guys. Ashton Jeanty fits that profile.
He’s also the only running back off the board in the first-round of this mock draft from Yates, so clearly he’s head and shoulders above the rest of the class. It’d feel like a steal if Denver landed Ashton Jeanty, but at least two experts agree it could happen.
To read the full mock draft from Yates, click here.
