Can Jacory Croskey-Merritt Have Year-1 Role For Commanders?

The Washington Commanders selected running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt with the No. 245 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. He was the 13th-to-last player drafted. It's rare for such a late pick to make an immediate impact, but Croskey-Merritt possesses the skill set required to play himself into a role.

Croskey-Merritt's pre-draft story is unique. The Alabama native rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns at New Mexico in 2023. He transferred to Arizona ahead of 2024, but eligibility questions led to him making just one regular-season appearance for the Wildcats throughout 2024. That predictably led to a draft-weekend slide for Croskey-Merritt, due to an incomplete evaluation.

The Commanders pounced on his availability.

Croskey-Merritt produced 106 yards and a touchdown for Arizona in Week 1 before being ruled ineligible. During the all-star circuit, he received an opportunity to participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Croskey-Merritt maximized that chance, rushing for 97 yards and a touchdown en route to being named Offensive MVP.

Croskey-Merritt is competing within an overcrowded running back room at Washington's OTAs. The Commanders have three veterans in front of him, with Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and Jeremy McNichols all returning from last season.

Despite their veteran presences, there's a realistic pathway for Croskey-Merritt to play himself into Dan Quinn's backfield plans. It was rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels who led the Commanders in rushing last year with 891 yards. Robinson Jr. produced 799 yards, averaging 4.3 per carry. Injury limited him to 14 games.

Robinson Jr. is entering a fate-deciding contract year in 2025. The former Crimson Tide performer has never rushed for 800 yards in a single season, and his career average is just 4.1 yards per carry (never more than 4.3). It's becoming abundantly clear that Robinson Jr. isn't a three-down workhorse, but rather a between-the-tackles member of an effective rotation.

Ekeler rushed for just 367 yards and is entering his dreaded age-30 season, the final of his two-year agreement. The dual-threat Ekeler added 35 receptions for 366 receiving yards to his offensive totals. He earned Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2024 as a kick returner, totaling 594 kickoff return yards via 19 total returns.

Ekeler's newfound effectiveness on special teams likely secures his role for 2025. McNichols is a feel-good story. An NFL journeyman who's played for 10 teams (multiple stints with some of them) in eight seasons, McNichols rushed for a career-high 261 yards in 2024 while averaging 4.7 yards per carry. He isn't guaranteed a roster spot, but his try-hard attitude has earned goodwill with the staff.

There's room for an impressive rookie like Croskey-Merritt to play himself into the lineup. The Commanders rushed for a third-best 2,619 yards, but again, Daniels was a huge proponent of their overall rushing production. Daniels finished second among QBs in rushing. Cut his ground-game yardage even in half and the Commanders would plummet to 10th.

Croskey-Merritt is an aggressive downhill runner with the vision and athleticism needed to make decisive lateral cuts. He presses at the line of scrimmage with patience and forces missed tackles in a phone booth. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will be thrilled to have his skill set at his play-calling disposal.

Croskey-Merritt was a potential draft-weekend steal due to his peculiar 2024 campaign. The Commanders are searching for both an immediate impact and future solution at running back with all three veterans entering a contract year. Croskey-Merritt should play himself into a 2025 role.