How familiar faces can help Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Some familiar faces can help sixth-round running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. thrive with the Washington Commanders next season and beyond.

The Washington Commanders will be relying on some established stars to assist Chris Rodriguez Jr. during his initial transition. The sixth-round pick was a big favorite of Eric Bieniemy‘s en route to becoming the No. 193 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, which adds another weapon to the running back room after the team released J.D. McKissic with a failed physical designation during free agency.

While many analysts speculated whether the Commanders would identify one of the top-end running backs, those in power opted to wait and secure a little extra bang for their buck. Rodriguez comes to Washington on the back of four decent seasons with the Wildcats, although making his presence felt when Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson are around could prove difficult all things considered.

Familiar faces can help Chris Rodriguez Jr. shine with Commanders

Rodriguez and Gibson are no strangers hailing from the same town. When speaking to the team’s website, the newest member of the Commanders recalled how he looked up to the veteran and had to watch him torch his youth team on countless occasions.

"“AG, he was a senior when I was a freshman. I looked up to him kind of, I would say when I was a freshman because when we played him, he was the guy on their team. He was one of those guys from my hometown that I followed. Who would’ve thought that I would be playing with him, especially when I was younger watching him destroy us?”"

While Gibson will be largely competing with Rodriguez for playing time, the same cannot be said of another familiar face to the rookie. Jamin Davis was an ex-teammate from the time together at Kentucky and the backfield presence couldn’t have been more complimentary about the linebacker and how influential he became when things got tough at the collegiate level.

"“When I first got to Kentucky, Jamin, he kind of kept me above float. I was always in my head about not playing, but he was always saying like, Peach State pride. It’s what he always used to say. I was one of the few Georgia boys on the team. At Kentucky, it was mostly Ohio and not Georgia. So when I got there, it was him, Yusuf [Corker] and we stayed Peach State pride and we kinda lived by it and kept working.”"

This will do wonders for Rodriguez’s initial transition. There is a real opportunity for the player to become Washington’s third option behind Robinson and Gibson, although Jaret Patterson will also fancy his chances of securing the role.

Rodrguez is a patient, powerful runner with enough explosiveness to exploit gaps when they arrive. He is a red-zone threat and absorbs contact superbly, even if some work is needed in key areas such as blocking and pass-catching to further enhance his chances.

Having Bieniemy’s seal of approval should be a big confidence boost for Rodriguez. And the play-caller achieved considerable success on the Kansas City Chiefs with unheralded running backs that went on to become productive performers.

Hopefully, for the player and the Commanders, this can transition to a different environment.