Veteran NFL analyst gushes over Jahan Dotson, Brian Robinson Jr.

The NFL Draft is nearly a month old already and rookies around the league are preparing for organized team activities. For the Washington Commanders, their OTAs will take place in three separate installments beginning on May 24.

It’ll go until May 26. Their next window falls from May 31-June 2 with the final period spanning June 6-8. From there, they’ll have mandatory minicamp from June 14-16 before the team breaks for vacation until training camp.

For the Commanders’ incoming draft class, offseason workouts provide an excellent opportunity to leave an impression on the coaching staff before training camp, which, of course, begins the process of trimming rosters to 53 players.

Which Commanders rookie are you most excited to follow this offseason and preseason? Is it first-rounder Jahan Dotson? Second-round choice Phidarian Mathis? Fifth-round steal Sam Howell or tight end Cole Turner?

If you asked veteran analyst and NFL Films producer Greg Cosell his picks would be Dotson and third-rounder Brian Robinson Jr. During an appearance on ESPN’s John Keim’s podcast, the “John Keim Report,” Cosell couldn’t help but share his fondness of the Penn State receiver and Alabama running back.

Veteran NFL analyst Greg Cosell loves Commanders rookies Jahan Dotson and Brian Robinson Jr.

Here’s what Cosell had to say about Dotson.

"I happen to really like Jahan Dotson’s tape from Penn State. I thought given his size, he was fearless working in the middle of the field. He was willing to go up and get the football. He a made a lot of tough catches away from his frame where he needed to extend. I thought there was a physicality and competitiveness to Dotson that belied his size.I thought Dotson was a really good draft choice. I’m in the minority, I’m sure, but everything I say is based on tape study, I like Dotson just as a receiver more than I like Chris Olave, although I think Olave is in a phenomenal spot . . . But if you’re just talking about the traits, I happen to like Dotson more."

Dotson…better than Olave? Cosell might be in the minority like he says, but he’s definitely not the first analyst to bring that idea to light.

Whereas Olave is a burner and a savant as a deep threat and tracking the football, it sounds like Cosell prefers Dotson in almost every other category (contested catches, hand strength, yards after the catch, route-running, toughness, etc.)

Just because Cosell said it doesn’t make it true, but we definitely value the opinion of someone who analyzes as much film as he does and his eyes tell him Dotson, viewed as a reach on draft night, was a good pick for Washington.

Later in the interview, Keim transitioned to the selection of Alabama RB Brian Robinson Jr. in the third round. Before Keim could even finish his sentence, Cosell intervened and waxed poetic about the former Crimson Tide star. That speaks volumes to how highly Cosell rates Robinson. See for yourself.

"I love Brian Robinson, by the way. Alabama gets five-start back after five-star back, so Robinson had to wait his turn. You lose sight of the fact that this guy’s 225 pounds. He is a big back. He’s an urgent, determined, physical, competitive downhill runner. He runs with velocity. He runs with power. There was even some stop and start.It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Robinson ends up taking snaps away (from Antonio Gibson). I really liked his tape the more I watched him. I think he’s a good receiver and good pass protector. I don’t know their plan for him and I knew he wasn’t going to be a top 40 pick, but I thought that was a really good draft choice by Washington because I think he’s going to get meaningful snaps."

If that assessment doesn’t get you excited for Robinson, then nothing will. Again, we’re talking about an absolute draft junkie in Cosell who watched every single one of Robinson’s snaps in Tuscaloosa and couldn’t help but continue watching because he sees a legit player in the third-rounder.

Cosell’s analysis doesn’t mean Robinson will pan out, but it will undoubtedly leave fans with more confidence in the pick after the consensus reaction was that Washington extended itself to snag him at pick No. 98 overall.