The Las Vegas Raiders notched a 26-14 win against the Chargers in Week 2, but honestly, nobody’s talking about the score right now. All eyes are on Ashton Jeanty, their shiny No. 6 overall draft pick, who had a Week 2 performance that’s gotta have the coaching staff scratching their heads.
Jeanty’s Early Struggles Have Las Vegas Concerned
Jeanty was on the field for a whopping 81 percent of the offensive snaps, which screamingly tells you the coaches are relying on him big time as a core piece right from the jump. But after that sweet 147 yards from scrimmage performance previously, this past Sunday against the Chargers was a total head-scratcher for the No. 6 pick. He only managed a paltry 2.3 yards rushing. Look, yeah, the offensive line didn’t have a great run blocking day, that’s a fact. But what about those *three* drops in the passing game? That’s purely on him, and that’s just not something you see from a top-10 talent. This is a critical early test for the rookie, and right now, he’s just not passing it. Can he shake off these jitters before it becomes a real problem for the season?
Mixed Bag From the Rest of the 2025 Class
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the 2025 class, thankfully. Second-round pick Jack Bech saw his snap count jump to 54 percent against the Chargers, a solid increase from his 39 percent against the Dolphins in Week 1. He made the most of it, snagging two catches on two targets for 25 yards. You love to see that kind of efficiency! So far this season, he’s got five catches for 48 yards on six targets. Keep that up, young man! On the defensive side, fourth-rounder Tonka Hemingway is absolutely popping off. He played a massive 74 percent of the defensive snaps, which was a career high and the most of any defensive tackle on the squad. The guy is definitely a top rotation player and he proved it with three tackles against the Chargers. Now *that’s* how you make an impression early on and secure your spot!
Then there’s the mixed bag and the rough luck. Darien Porter, who unfortunately got hit with a foot injury late in Week 1, sat out Week 2 entirely. His replacement, rookie Zeke Masses, then went and grabbed two interceptions! Talk about a tough break for Porter; he might find himself fighting just to get back on the field, let alone reclaim his playing time, even when that foot heals up. Meanwhile, third-round picks Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant were barely on the field, each only getting four plays on special teams. And what about sixth-rounder JJ Pegues? He was a healthy scratch for the second straight game after being inactive in Week 1. This isn’t the kind of momentum these guys want to build, especially when every snap counts early in the season. Cody Lindenberg, the seventh-rounder, was back to being a top special teamer with 18 snaps in Week 2 after being a scratch in Week 1, showing that some guys are just grinding it out.
So, as the Raiders gear up to face the New Orleans Saints this Sunday, there are some serious, fundamental questions brewing about this 2025 draft class. Can Ashton Jeanty actually shake off these early struggles and be the game-changing playmaker they shelled out the No. 6 pick for? Or is this just how he’s gonna be? Will the promising starts from guys like Bech and Hemingway keep surging? The early weeks of the NFL season are always about separating the contenders from the pretenders and figuring out who the real impact players are. This game against the Saints isn’t just another W or L; it’s a huge test for figuring out if this draft class is going to be a genuine force for the Raiders, or if they’re gonna be a massive headache all season long. You gotta step up, fellas!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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