Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty gave the team a scare early in Saturday’s game against the 49ers and then he gave them a reminder of why they made him a first round pick.
Jeanty went to the sideline medical tent after taking a hard hit on the first Raiders possession, but he returned to the game for the second drive and got right back to work. Jeanty picked up 13 yards on a run that saw him run through cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and then thumped his way into the end zone for his first touchdown of the preseason a few plays later.
After running for negative yards in his first preseason action, Jeanty had seven carries for 33 yards and one catch in a performance that Raiders head coach Pete Carroll called “tough as hell” in his postgame press conference. Jeanty said he suffered “a little stinger” on the opening drive and that he feels he showed he belongs in the NFL before the day was out.
“It was definitely today for sure,” Jeanty said. “It takes time as a rookie to gain that confidence. I’m here. I’ve arrived and it’s time to keep going and make plays for this team.”
While the Raiders could do without the injury scare, they’ll take everything else they saw from Jeanty on Saturday.
