There were plenty of standout players in college football in 2024, but there were two in particular who essentially told the story of the season with incredible performances. Those two ended up in a tight race for the Heisman Trophy, with Travis Hunter edging out Ashton Jeanty.
No one can blame voters for opting to give it to Hunter, a generational two-way star who did things never seen before at this level. But Jeanty’s fans couldn’t help but feel he did more than enough to win it, as he put together one of the best seasons by a running back in college football history. Given how much his starpower rose on the back of that season, Jeanty announced on Tuesday that he’s declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Heisman Trophy winners and Texas football legends confess they didn’t vote for Travis Hunter to get the award
Dallas Cowboys the top destination for Ashton Jeanty in NFL Mock Drafts
Where will he go, though? Most mock drafts make no mistake about where Jeanty will land in April: Almost everyone expects him to be drafted by the Dallas Cowboys.
It’s a logical destination given the team doesn’t have a ton of talent or depth at the position, but Rico Dowdle was surprisingly solid in a workhorse role in 2024. Still, Jeanty is an incredible talent, while Dowdle may be best suited for a 1B to 1A role. But the Cowboys aren’t the only team that Jeanty has been mocked to.
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has him landing with the Houston Texans (19th overall), where he would form a formidable duo with Joe Mixon. CBS’ Josh Edwards has him going to the Denver Broncos (20th overall), a team that desperately needs a reliable workhorse at the position.
Jeanty’s talent and collegiate stats should make him a Top 10 pick in the draft, but with the running back position devalued in NFL circles over the past few years, a franchise should be able to get a blue-chip player later than usual.
