2025 NFL Draft prospect Ashton Jeanty gets candid on joining Kyler Murray and Cardinals: "Gonna be the shortest backfield"
Boise State star Ashton Jeanty is having a terrific junior year and is among the frontrunners to win the Heisman Award. The running back has put up otherworldly numbers for the Broncos and is expected to be the first running back to be taken off the board in the 2025 NFL draft.
Several teams, including the Arizona Cardinals, will likely ponder using their top pick to draft Jeanty and the 20-year-old is open to the idea of teaming up with quarterback Kyler Murray. When asked about the idea of joining the Cardinals during a live stream, the running back claimed it's an interesting prospect before joking that the backfield will be vertically challenged.
"I could get down with Kyler. We're gonna be the shortest backfield in the NFL."
Murray's height is listed as 5-foot-10, while Jeanty is reportedly 5-foot-9. While the Boise State star is spot on about them being the shortest backfield in the league if the Cardinals draft him, they'd also be the most elusive and difficult to contain.
Cardinals depth chart: Ashton Jeanty could be Arizona's top target
The Cardinals have one of the best rushing units in the league. They are averaging 149.4 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks sixth in the league. Kyler Murray's nifty running and veteran James Conner's bruising play style have been the key to their success on offense.
However, Arizona could have to part ways with the latter in the offseason. Conner's contract expires at the end of the year and the team likely wouldn't retain the 29-year-old's services, considering he'd want a massive payday, as it'd likely be the last big deal he signs.
The Cardinals have several other holes on the roster that they need to fill and they wouldn't want to dedicate a big chunk of their cap space to an aging running back. They'd look to the draft to address the void Conner's exit will create and Ashton Jeanty could be the ideal solution.
The Boise State Broncos star is averaging nearly 25 carries and 192.7 rushing yards per game. He's the college football touchdown leader with 23. A workhorse running back like Jeanty could be the ideal fit alongside Murray and will add a new dimension to the Cardinals' offense.
If the season ends today, Arizona will pick 22nd in the draft. The 20-year-old likely won't be available that late in the first round, meaning the Cardinals will either have to trade up or hope teams pass on him, which probably won't be the case.
For now, a backfield of Murray and Jeanty is a distant dream. However, the idea of them as a duo is too enticing for the Cardinals to not plan maneuvers to get him to Arizona.