If you were expecting to see Boise State’s human highlight reel, Ashton Jeanty, flying down the turf in Indianapolis for a sub-4.4 second 40-yard dash, you probably walked away from the 2025 NFL Combine feeling a little bit cheated.
Honestly, it’s the classic NFL Draft dilemma. We want the data. We want the numbers. We want to see the "next big thing" prove they can run in a straight line for 40 yards. But Jeanty? He decided he’d already said everything he needed to say on the blue turf in Idaho.
By the time the Ashton Jeanty NFL Combine cycle rolled around, he was already coming off a season that felt like a video game. 2,601 rushing yards. 29 touchdowns. He didn't just carry the ball; he carried a whole program to the College Football Playoff. So, when the invite came, Jeanty showed up, shook hands, aced the interviews, and then... sat out the drills.
It was a bold move. Some called it risky. Others called it smart. Basically, it was the move of a guy who knows exactly who he is.
The Measured Truth: Size and Scope
When Jeanty walked into the measurement room, everyone leaned in. College programs are notorious for "generously" listing their players' heights. Boise State had him at 5’9". The official Combine tape? 5 feet, 8.5 inches.
He weighed in at 211 pounds.
Now, look, 5'8" might sound small for a guy expected to take 20 carries a game in the NFL. But you’ve gotta look at the build. He’s basically a rolling ball of muscle. His hand size came in at 9 1/4 inches, which is plenty for a guy who caught 80 passes in college. The wingspan was 72 3/4 inches.
The scouts weren't worried about the height. They were looking at the frame. He’s built like a tank, with a low center of gravity that makes him almost impossible to tip over once he gets moving. Think Maurice Jones-Drew or a slightly more compact Dalvin Cook.
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Why He Skipped the Drills
The biggest talking point of the Ashton Jeanty NFL Combine experience wasn't what he did, but what he didn't do. No 40-yard dash. No vertical jump. No bench press.
Why?
Simple. Jeanty is a "tape" player. If you watch his game against Oregon or Georgia Southern, you see the speed. You see him clocking 21.5 mph on GPS tracking. NFL teams care way more about "football speed" (how fast you run in pads with a guy trying to rip your head off) than "track speed" (how fast you run in spandex on a quiet track).
Jeanty chose to let his production—the 1,970 yards after contact—do the talking. He told the media in Indy that he’s a three-down back who can pass protect, catch, and hit the 70-yard home run. He didn't feel the need to prove he could jump over a bar to verify that.
"My best trait is my big-play ability... just being able to break tackles and make plays down the field." — Ashton Jeanty at the 2025 Combine.
The Interviews: Winning the Room
While he wasn't running drills, Jeanty was busy winning the "mental" part of the draft. He met with several teams, including the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Reports out of the team meetings were glowing. Jeanty has this unique background—his dad was a Navy officer, and he actually spent part of his childhood in Italy. He didn't even start playing running back until his senior year of high school. That kind of "late bloomer" story with a military upbringing screams "coachable leader" to NFL GMs.
He didn't just talk about touchdowns. He talked about blitz pickups. He talked about "trusting the process."
The Fallacy of the 40-Yard Dash
There’s a weird obsession with the 40-yard dash for running backs. But let’s be real: when was the last time a back ran 40 yards in a straight line without a defender in sight?
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Jeanty’s game is about contact balance. It’s about being able to get hit by a 250-pound linebacker and just... keep going. He led the nation with over 150 missed tackles forced. That's a stat that actually wins games.
Some scouts worried that by skipping the Combine drills and his Pro Day workouts, he was hiding a lack of "elite" top-end speed. But the Raiders didn't care. They saw a guy who averaged 7.0 yards per carry over an entire season. That’s not a fluke. That’s dominance.
What This Means for Your Dynasty Team or NFL Fandom
If you're looking at Jeanty as a potential savior for your NFL team, the Combine confirmed what we already knew. He’s a specialized weapon.
- Draft Capital Matters: Despite not testing, his stock didn't drop. He was still the consensus RB1 and eventually went 6th overall to the Raiders.
- Durability is the Question: He had 374 carries in 2024. That’s a lot of "tread" off the tires. The Combine medicals were arguably more important for him than the 40-yard dash.
- Versatility is Key: He isn't just a "bruiser." His ability to line up in the slot and catch passes makes him a nightmare for defensive coordinators.
The Ashton Jeanty NFL Combine saga proved that the "alpha" prospects don't always have to play the game by the old rules. He knew his value. He knew the tape was undeniable.
In the end, he didn't need a stopwatch to prove he was the best back in the class. He just needed a team to trust the thousands of yards he'd already put on film.
Next Steps for Following Jeanty's Pro Career:
- Watch the Preseason Snap Counts: See how the Raiders integrate him into the passing game early on.
- Monitor the Contact Balance Stats: Check Next Gen Stats during the regular season to see if his "yards after contact" translate to the faster NFL level.
- Follow the Training Camp Reports: Look for news on his pass protection—it's the one area scouts said he could "improve" (mostly by being more aggressive against blitzers).