"The Commanders struck gold in the seventh round last year. Peters took running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt with the No. 245 overall selection. Little was expected of the rookie, especially considering he missed almost the entire 2025 season due to eligibility issues. But after taking the team by storm over the summer, he went on to gain more than 800 rushing yards."
"As is the case with almost every seventh-rounder, Kaliakmanis is a shot in the dark. The Rutgers quarterback flashed during his college career, but expecting him to walk right into the building and immediately establish himself just isn't going to happen. This is a development project in every sense of the term."
"Best case scenario? Kaliakmanis becomes a viable backup option or even a potential trade chip a little later in his career. He is not going to unseat Jayden Daniels. In fact, he'll probably be battling it out with former undrafted free agent Sam Hartman for the No. 3 job initially."
The Washington Commanders had a significant Day 3 in the draft, with general manager Adam Peters making impactful selections. Notably, running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt emerged as a standout after a challenging previous season. The team also selected quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis as their final pick, who is viewed as a long-term development project. While expectations are tempered, there is hope he could become a viable backup or trade asset. The Commanders' draft strategy reflects a focus on building depth despite limited picks.
#washington-commanders #nfl-draft #athan-kaliakmanis #jacory-croskey-merritt #quarterback-development
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