Despite a dismal season, rookie Ashton Jeanty flashed promise, nearly reaching 1,000 yards. Other newcomers, however, offered little impact for the struggling Raiders.
There isn't much to be excited about regarding the Las Vegas Raiders 2025 season. Head coach Pete Carroll was fired after one year.
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly lasted just 11 games, and offseason acquisition Geno Smith did not live up to the hype after signing a contract extension with Las Vegas.
Perhaps one of the few positives, besides Maxx Crosby's always consistent play, was rookie running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty was selected No. 6 overall after finishing as the Heisman Trophy runner-up, and while Kelly did not help with his puzzling play-calling, Jeanty improved as the season went on and ended up rushing for 975 yards with five touchdowns, just shy of the 1,000-yard mark.
Besides that, the Raiders' rookies weren't too exciting, and to be frank, the team itself didn't have many exciting moments.
Aaron Schatz of ESPN ranked this year's rookie class by team, and the Raiders' group was ranked 26th in the NFL.
"The Raiders finished the season with one of the 10 worst run offenses of the past 45 years, according to DVOA, but it wasn't running back Ashton Jeanty's fault. The No. 6 pick was near the top of the league in missed tackle rate; there's only so far you can get without good blocking. Speaking of the blockers, third-round pick Caleb Rogers started six games at right guard, and another third-round pick, Charles Grant, started one at left tackle."
Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. could be exciting pieces for the future, although neither one played much this season, as Schatz wrote.
"The Raiders had two rookie wide receivers, but they didn't get on the field too much until the last month of the year. Second-rounder Jack Bech finished with 20 catches for 224 yards, and fourth-rounder Dont'e Thornton Jr. had 10 catches for 135 yards."
Considering the fact that the Raiders used a second-round pick on Bech and he only had 20 receptions is a bit surprising, especially with Jakobi Meyers being traded during the season. But, then again, it was a disaster season for the 3-14 Raiders.
"The Raiders got defensive contributions from undrafted free agent cornerback Greedy Vance (who played six games at the end of the season) and two defensive tackles who each appeared in nine games, fourth-rounder Tonka Hemingway and seventh-rounder JJ Pegues," Schatz wrote.
The good news? The Raiders "earned" the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and all signs point to Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza being the choice, barring a massive surprise.
The Raiders have pieces to build on for the future, but besides Jeanty, none of the rookies really brought much excitement in 2025.