It doesn’t feel all that long ago that I was out in the football world mocking people who were trying to proclaim the lack of value of a running back in the NFL. Unless your name as a running back in the league was Christian McCaffrey (a player the Jaguars ironically passed on when he was entering the NFL, selecting Leonard Fournette instead three picks earlier), you were a replaceable asset. After all, why else would the New York Giants pass on Saquon Barkley in favor of Daniel Jones?

It would seem that the benefit of hindsight has eliminated some of the alleged irrelevance of the running back position in the NFL as it turned out Barkley was the final piece that won the Philadelphia Eagles a Super Bowl while “Danny Dimes” is now a backup at best and the New York Giants continue to crumble based on that decision. Is it through that lens that the Duval Devout are beginning to hype Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty to be selected fifth overall in to 2025 NFL Draft more now than ever before?

The former Bronco has all the makings of an NFL prospect with a bright future. His vision, speed, and agility make him a constant homerun threat; he’s a talented pass catcher, and while he isn’t the best pass protector in the 2025 class he’s certainly not a downgrade from what the Jaguars have now.

Those fans who have plenty of Jeanty in their mock drafts heading to Jacksonville SHOULD NOT be blamed for desiring such a fantastic potential asset.

But the ghosts of the New York Giants’ past mistakes should strike fear into the hearts of the Duval Devout that wish to make Jeanty the 5th pick overall. The reason Barkley couldn’t carry the Giants to the Super Bowl was a lack of overall support that he eventually found as a member of the defending Super Bowl champions. And no — this has nothing to do with their quarterback Jalen Hurts and their receiver corps featuring AJ Brown or Devonta Smith.

To put it bluntly — the Giants’ offensive line hasn’t been relevant in a positive way since their Super Bowl victory 14 seasons ago. Yet, Barkley was enough of a force to capture relevance for the franchise in playoff hunts and upset victories. Should the Jaguars draft Jeanty, would it be enough to take a four-win team to a playoff contender? That’s a tall order based on the performance of the Jacksonville offensive line in 2024.

That being said, there is one way that Jeanty might be the first piece taken by this front office in the draft as an initial step to becoming a power relevant to the American Football Conference. It starts with the offensive linemen acquired during this offseason. For those in the Duval Devout who believe that Jeanty is the pick 5th overall, you better also believe that the four guys in free agency that were brought in to bolster the trenches (and those they are sure to take in the draft after the 5th overall pick) are enough to make the Jaguars a formidable ground attack the way they were when Travis Etienne recorded his first 1,100-year season as a sophomore in 2022.

However, there is the alternate hard truth that the time isn’t right for Jeanty to become part of this roster. Let the Las Vegas Raiders or Dallas Cowboys roll those dice. Let him light up scoreboards and tear up stat sheets until either franchise in their continued struggles decide NOT to pay him because they failed to build an appropriate foundation on the field and in the front office to support Jeanty (assuming the likely possibility he’s as good as advertised). At that point, a rising power in the AFC might package picks and assets to acquire Jeanty and give him the respect he deserves in Duval County. . . That — or trade down from the fifth pick and get him if other franchises don’t see the potential, while also having enough bites of the apple to get him the support he needs as well.