You don’t usually see a draft prospect change the conversation with words instead of a 40-yard dash—but Ashton Jeanty might have just done exactly that.

The Boise State star lit up The Players’ Tribune on Wednesday with a letter addressed directly to NFL general managers. It wasn’t cautious or calculated. It was explosive. It was confident. It felt like someone kicking the door in and letting the league know he’s ready now—not two years from now, not after a redshirt season. Right now.

And if the New England Patriots weren’t thinking seriously about Jeanty before? They might be now.

Ashton Jeanty might have legitimately put himself on Patriots’ radar

Jeanty drew a direct line between his game and what Saquon Barkley just did for the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles. He didn’t sugarcoat it. He embraced the expectations:

“I’ve taken the long way. I’m done with that way. If you pick me, it’s simple: I’m coming to your franchise to do what Saquon and the Eagles just did. I’m coming to win, big, soon.
It’s TACKLE football … you know what I’m saying?
I’d draft the guy they can’t tackle.”

That’s a message that should hit hard in Foxborough.

The Patriots are building something special around second-year breakout candidate Drake Maye, and the backfield is one of the biggest question marks still hanging over this offense. Rhamondre Stevenson has struggled with ball security. Antonio Gibson is a role player. The Patriots ranked 28th in yards per carry last season and lacked any kind of consistent explosiveness on the ground.

Jeanty changes that math. He piled up 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2024 alone, finishing just shy of Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record. He also caught 43 passes for 569 yards in 2023, showing his ability to take over games in any phase. His contact balance, vision, and three-down value scream instant NFL impact player.

Most mock drafts have Jeanty going inside the top 10, which means New England would likely have to take him at No. 4 or trade down to make it happen. That might feel aggressive in a league that’s cooled on early-round running backs—but Jeanty isn’t your typical back. He’s a tone-setter. And tone-setters are exactly what this team has lacked.

If top targets like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter are off the board by the time the Pats are on the clock, don’t be surprised if the Patriots make a move. Jeanty’s confidence, production, and physicality fit exactly what Mike Vrabel wants. Just imagine what Vrabel could do for Jeanty after having Derrick Henry in Tennessee. Could be magical.

If Jeanty’s message was meant to make teams think twice, it might’ve worked. It caught our attention—and it probably caught the Patriots’ too. No one’s saying they have to draft him. But no one should blame them if they do.