Mina Kimes argues for NFC franchise to draft Ashton Jeanty over Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty is considered one of the best running backs in this year's NFL draft. He has been widely linked with the Las Vegas Raiders, but analyst Mina Kimes has made a case for the Boise State star to join a different NFC team.
On Monday, Kimes outlined that the Raiders still need a strong offensive line before drafting a player like Jeanty, before suggesting that the Chicago Bears could be a better landing spot for the Broncos RB.
"A great running back cannot fix a bad offensive line, even one as good as Ashton Jeanty," Kimes said on 'NFL on ESPN.' "So I think when you look at the top 10, thinking about places where you want to take him, a team that comes to mind is Chicago for me. They are one team that has put a lot of money into fixing their offensive line because if you stick him behind a bad offensive line, that's not a good draft pick."
The Bears improved their offensive line this offseason, bringing in the likes of Braxton Jones at left tackle, Joe Thuney at left guard, Drew Dalman at center, Jonah Jackson at right guard and Darnell Wright at right tackle. This is likely to allow quarterback Caleb Williams to thrive in the 2025 season.
Now, Chicago can bolster its offense even further by drafting Jeanty, especially since the team's offensive line can allow its weapons to succeed.
Ashton Jeanty finished as Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2024 season
Jeanty had a fabulous 2024 season at Boise State, which saw him finish second in the Heisman Trophy voting, only behind Colorado's Travis Hunter. The RB recorded 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on 374 attempts while contributing 138 yards and a touchdown on 23 receptions in his final collegiate season.
Although Jeanty has been tipped to go as a top-10 pick this year, some have raised doubts about whether his 5-foot-8 stature might limit his progress in the NFL.