Jacory Croskey-Merritt - Commanders RB
It's not the first time Jacory Croskey-Merritt has featured in a list like this throughout his first offseason with the Washington Commanders. And if more momentum is generated at training camp, it won't be the last.
The Commanders believe they found a major steal at No. 245 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft when they picked Croskey-Merritt. He'd have likely gone much higher had the NCAA not revoked his eligibility one game into his transfer to Arizona. This was a body blow to the running back, but it worked out well in the end.
Croskey-Merritt hasn't come to make up the numbers. The seventh-round pick senses an opportunity to impact the running back rotation immediately., Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler will lead the charge in the final year of their respective deals, but the first-year pro is well on course to be the team's No. 3 option at worst as things stand.
There's been a lot to like about Croskey-Merritt's explosiveness, speed, and decisiveness. He's a one-cut slasher with the physicality and contact balance needed to exploit gaps at will. If Robinson and Ekeler don't meet expectations behind a much-improved offensive line, the rookie will get a shot.
And who knows, perhaps the Commanders have found their long-term running back option without even trying.
Chris Moore - Commanders WR
Strengthening the wide receiver group was a successfully completed mission by general manager Adam Peters. However, one unheralded pass-catcher is well on course to flipping the script based on his efforts over Washington's offseason program.
Nobody benefited more from Terry McLaurin, Michael Gallup, and Noah Brown missing time than Chris Moore. The savvy veteran was buried down the depth chart after an influx of new arrivals. Making the squad remains a tricky proposition, but his hopes look a lot brighter now.
Moore was an undoubted (and surprising) standout during OTAs and mandatory minicamp. The wideout got all he could handle from the coaching staff, which received a positive response. There were highlights aplenty, something that should stand him in tremendous stead when things get intense over the summer.
It's a crowded room, so much will depend on how many receivers the Commanders take through. McLaurin, Brown, Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, and Deebo Samuel Sr. will go through, but Moore could be ahead of Gallup and others in the pecking order after making a phenomenal impression in recent weeks.
What comes next is more important. Even so, Moore's put himself in a fantastic position to become a surprise not many saw coming.