Ashton Jeanty Cut Sugar From His Diet and Raiders Fans Should Pay Attention

Ashton Jeanty gave up candy. That might not sound like a big deal unless you’re a 22-year-old NFL running back who loves sugar and needs to carry the ball 20-plus times a game. For the Raiders’ second-year back, it was the hardest part of an offseason he knew he had to get right.

Jeanty sat down with CBS Sports’ Bryant McFadden and was blunt about what had to go. “Yeah, the biggest thing to lose from my diet was definitely sugar. That’s all of us. I love candy, all of that, so just really cutting that down and, you know, dialing it in more for sure.”

He didn’t stop there. Jeanty also admitted his conditioning wasn’t where it needed to be as a rookie. “And then just working out, really building up my cardio, getting in better shape. I didn’t feel like I was in good enough shape last year, so being able to play, you know, longer than everybody and, you know, be more physical longer, I think is very important at running back.”

The Raiders took Jeanty sixth overall in the 2025 draft with the expectation he’d be a bell cow from day one. And he basically was. He touched the ball 321 times as a rookie, rushing for 975 yards and five touchdowns on 266 carries. The 3.7 yards per carry number is the one that jumps out — and not in a good way. But Jeanty made noise in the passing game too, catching 55 of 73 targets for 346 yards and five more scores.

That’s a solid but not spectacular rookie line. For a top-six pick, the Raiders are hoping Year 2 looks more like the Boise State version of Jeanty, the one who ran for over 2,600 yards in his final college season. Cutting sugar won’t single-handedly fix an offensive line or a passing game that defenses have to respect. But Jeanty clearly thinks getting his body right is the place to start.

Las Vegas opens the season at home against the Miami Dolphins on September 13. That’s when we’ll see if the diet change and extra cardio pay off. Early returns from camp suggest he’s moving better and lasting longer through practices. Teammates have noticed. Coaches have too.

One thing’s for sure: Jeanty isn’t hiding from his own standards. He said he wasn’t in good enough shape last year. He cut the candy. He did the work. Now the only question is whether the numbers catch up to the effort.