Raiders report: How RB Ashton Jeanty improved in pass protection

Raiders running backs coach Deland McCullough knew he wasn’t going to have to spend much time teaching rookie Ashton Jeanty how to run over and around defenders.

Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in April’s draft, already looked like a finished product in that regard.

Pass protection was another story.

“That was a major thing coming in, just having him switch his pass protection technique,” McCullough said. “I spoke to him a lot about that during the interview process leading up to the draft and then getting him here and now being able to work with him on it every day.

“He’s grown immensely.”

Jeanty, 21, didn’t really have a choice. The former Boise State standout wants to be a three-down back. That can only happen if he can contribute to the passing game as both a receiver and a blocker.

“It’s one of those things where you get what you emphasize, at any position, but we emphasize the protection piece as far as the technique, tight hands, great punch, reset the feet and finish the defender,” McCullough said. “I’ve been really pleased with the way he’s taken to it, but he knew for me, that was a mandatory thing for him to be a part of what we do on third down and what we do on offense. You have to protect the quarterback.”

McCullough’s message has been received.

“Coach McCullough harps on (pass protection) every day,” Jeanty said. “I think I’m doing a pretty good job and I think I can still grow. There’s always room to get better.”

The most important thing, according to McCullough, is Jeanty’s desire to do whatever is asked of him.

“(Willingness) is the No. 1 thing,” McCullough said. “I’ve seen the biggest guy, who’s not willing, get his butt kicked in pass protection. It’s not about size or anything except heart and willingness. He definitely has the willingness. It was about taking the technique he had for several years and having him change it.

“Now he’s seen how it works. He’s seen the advantages. He’s seen how it continually puts you in the best positions to protect our quarterback and that’s our No. 1 goal.”

Even though Jeanty is quickly earning the trust of his coaches, it doesn’t mean he will be on the field for every snap. The organization has invested in his future, so it doesn’t want to overwork him out of the gate.

“We want Ashton to be effective for us for the entire season and in the back of your mind, you want to give him some preservation for his career,” McCullough said.

Part of that is building a running back room around Jeanty. The Raiders believe they have done that with four-year pro Zamir White having a good camp.

Another aspect is making sure Jeanty is smart when going at defenders. Running over a defensive back, like he did in a preseason game against the 49ers on Aug. 16, is a great highlight. But Jeanty also took on a linebacker a few plays earlier and suffered a stinger.

“He’s learning what he can do and what he can’t do in this league and what you want to expose yourself to on a continuous basis,” McCullough said. “There will be lessons he learns and he’s learning them all the time. You could say (Jeanty) got the best of him, but you don’t need to expose yourself to those types of situations.”

Mental reps

Defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson hated to see safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. go down with a broken fibula during the team’s mock game earlier this month. Johnson was just starting to emerge as a key piece on defense.

“It still hurts my heart a little bit,” Robertson said. “He’s a multi-dimensional player who can make us better. Lonnie going down was a big blow for us on the back end and we’re eagerly waiting for him to get back.”

Johnson will likely be out at least a month into the regular season, but Robertson said the signing of safety Terrell Edmunds should help in the short term. Johnson could also come back better than ever given he’s working hard in the film room during his time away from the field.

“Now the thing is figuring out how can we get better while we’re working our way back and for me, it’s not only understanding what we’re doing on defense, but also how offenses are attacking us,” Robertson said. “That’s what we’re doing right now, building up from football 101 to football 303.”

Taking their shots

The Raiders tried to solidify the deep-ball chemistry between quarterback Geno Smith and rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. in their first two preseason games.

That work continued on the practice field Thursday, as Smith fired several downfield shots at the fourth-round pick. The team believes those reps will eventually bear fruit.

“It’s an ongoing process,” coach Pete Carroll said this week of the connection. “We’ve done a lot of it in practice.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.