After a meteoric rise into a prominent role with the Washington Commanders and some sensational early performances, things have quietened down for seventh-round rookie sensation Jacory Croskey-Merritt. And one team pundit thinks he knows why.
Croskey-Merritt was one of the best feel-good stories anywhere in the league this summer. The No. 245 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft blazed a trail, seizing every opportunity to rise from obscurity and into an essential rotational role. When veteran Austin Ekeler tore his Achilles tendon in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers, the first-year pro surged into the No. 1 role.
That's been an inevitable rollercoaster for Croskey-Merritt. Anyone who expected anything less from a Day 3 rookie was kidding themselves.
Commanders pundit thinks Jacory Croskey-Merritt is running more hesitantly after fumbles
He was nothing short of sensational earlier in the campaign, but some lapses in ball security have held him back. He's also been a virtual non-factor over the last fortnight, which led Lynnell Willingham from The Team 980 to speculate whether a fear of being benched is causing some hesitancy compared to his typical playing style.
"He's got it in the back of his mind that if he fumbles one more time, they're probably going to bench him. And when you think about his story, being a seventh-round pick, not knowing if he was going to get the chance to play at the NFL level, right now, I think he's just trying to play without making a mistake, and it's impacted the way he runs the football. And I think any running back out there will tell you, once you put the ball on the carpet enough times, it becomes something in the back of your mind. And I think it's ultimately impacting his rushing style."
Lynnell Willingham
.@Nell_BTP sees one glaring problem with the offense right now: "Running the football is a lifestyle choice." 💯 pic.twitter.com/V8AhrT3AWb
— The Team 980 (@team980) October 29, 2025
These are just growing pains. Croskey-Merritt isn't immune to having them, just like most fledgling stars who enter the league. There wouldn't have been much of a microscope on it had he not propelled himself to ridiculous heights so soon, but the Commanders will stay the course.
This is an experienced staff. If they think Croskey-Merritt should be taken out of the spotlight for a breather, they won't hesitate. At the same time, Kliff Kingsbury often abandons the run if early momentum isn't generated, especially without quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels. That's not great for rhythm, so sticking with it throughout his game plan is imperative moving forward.
Croskey-Merritt is still on pace for 855 rushing yards as a rookie despite his mini-slump over the last two games. It's nothing to overly concern, but if Willingham's musings are accurate, Dan Quinn and Kingsbury need to put an arm around his shoulder and encourage him to run with the same purpose and aggression, regardless of whether he makes mistakes.
Everything should be a teaching moment for Croskey-Merritt at this stage of his development. And taking the rough with the smooth is crucial.