Jacory Croskey-Merritt joined a crowded running back room when he was drafted by the Washington Commanders in the seventh round.
The Commanders are hoping Croskey-Merritt, who likes to go by Bill, can recapture the explosiveness he had two years ago at New Mexico and add an extra wrinkle to their backfield. First, however, he will need to earn a roster spot, and he faces a tough challenge to achieve that with Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols, all of whom had solid roles in 2024, in front of him.
Croskey-Merritt is down to compete, but this offseason hasn't been completely about challenging teammates for a spot on the depth chart. He knows he is surrounded by years of experience, and he wants to take advantage of that knowledge.
"I'm learning a lot, day by day," Croskey-Merritt told Bryan Colbert Jr. "Those guys are telling me just small details of the game like what I can work on or what we can do better to improve as a running back room."
The trio of Robinson, Ekeler and McNichols spearheaded one of the most productive running games in football last season, and there's something for Croskey-Merritt to learn from each of them. Although Robinson is the youngest of the three, he has developed a strong work ethic and has a unique experience of being an impact player despite being shot as a rookie; Ekeler went from being an undrafted free agent to one of the most versatile players at his position; and McNichols has been in multiple systems, thanks to bouncing around the league to multiple teams.
Croskey-Merritt has already asked them several questions about how to improve.
"It's a dream come true just to have big brothers in a room that can help me elevate my game," Croskey-Merritt said.
Croskey-Merritt looked impressive during the team's OTA and minicamp periods. Prior to being drafted, he had only played two games in the past year because of eligibility issues, but he didn't appear to have lost a step. He looked quick and decisive when carrying the ball and even had a few standout moments during 11-on-11 drills. On one play, Croskey-Merritt broke loose down the right sideline and would have likely been a touchdown in a game scenario.
The effort he has made both on and off the field has caught his coaches' attention.
"He's working, man," said running backs coach and run game coordinator Anthony Lynn. "He's already a young professional. He worked his way up from Alabama State to get to this level, and that says a lot about his work ethic right there ... I don't know what we have in him, but he's learning right now. He's growing up like a weed every day."
Croskey-Merritt has already gotten plenty of love from the fan base since he was drafted. They have seen the career year he had with New Mexico, when he rushed for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2023, and are excited about adding that skill set to the Commanders' backfield.
Croskey-Merritt has already said he wants to do whatever the coaches ask of him, but he wants to live up to fans' expectations, too. People know talent when they see it, he said, and he's eager to show everything he can do.
"They know what's coming, but they really don't," Croskey-Merritt said. "I just want to go out there and show them. That's the bottom line."
