It's that time of the year as Washington Commanders rookies report for training camp in Ashburn, Virginia today. As we all know, this is the part of the offseason where everything really ramps up and you get to see what you have as a team. Specifically, the rookies.
Washington selected only five players in the 2025 NFL draft, and now that each is signed to their respective contracts, it's time to discuss how each one can make a name for themselves by impressing Dan Quinn and Co. in training camp.
OT Josh Conerly Jr.
Newly acquired left tackle Laremy Tunsil has already praised Conerly Jr, and the two will be glued to each other at training camp as he gets a small taste of what the NFL is like.
Conerly Jr. can show that he was the right pick at 29, and prove he's the franchise right tackle of the present and future. Washington recently signed Von Miller, which adds a lot of opportunities for Conerly Jr. to show what he can do against an all-time great pass rusher. Stop Miller and the rest of the pass rush to protect your QB, and you'll quickly make a name for yourself.
Don't be surprised when you see Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury move Conerly Jr out in space in the run game as well, which he excelled at when he was at Oregon. He was the most athletic tackle in the draft class, and he can show that at training camp.
CB Trey Amos
Now that Amos is signed, we can start to think about what we will see from the trio of Amos, Mike Sainristil, and Marshon Lattimore. Training camp will provide Amos the opportunity to earn some street cred while he takes on Deebo Samuel and Terry McLaurin (hopefully) on the outside, and a heck of a quarterback room.
Amos will also have veterans in Jonathan Jones and Noah Igbinoghene looking over his shoulder, so he can earn his spot in camp if he impresses in the secondary, and doesn't allow big plays to happen.
Expect to see Amos excel in man coverage with his press ability, and fluid movement in space. Flashy plays gets your name hyped up with highlight clips posted on social media.
WR Jaylin Lane
Just like Conerly Jr. and Tunsil, rookie WR Jaylin Lane already received high praise from veteran tight end Zach Ertz who said he's already impressed by what he's seen on the field.
The door is wide open for Lane to take over the starting job as the slot WR, and produce right away. His speed alone will be showcased at practice, and he's going to be a threat across the middle of the field, and test Washington's safeties and linebackers.
Adam Peters called Lane the best punt returner in the draft, and he should have no problem taking that spot over immediately as well. Lane will make a name for himself with his separation ability, speed, and versatility on special teams.
LB Kain Medrano
Commanders defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. said it best when he was talking about rookie Kain Medrano, "Is he a linebacker, or is he a safety?". He also said that they've been testing Medrano early on what he could do, but training camp is where they will be able to see what he can do with pads on. This is his time to shine.
Medrano came into UCLA as a WR, and he can showcase his hands, and ability to drop into coverage while cutting off routes at both linebacker and safety. He also ran the fastest 40-yard-dash time out of all LBs at the combine with a 4.46 time, so expect to see him fly around the field with some freedom.
Whitt Jr. and Quinn will see what his strengths are, and maximize his opportunities. Being versatile, athletic, and teachable are quick ways to get your name called often to get on the field.
It'll be really interesting to see what he can do in a linebacker room that boasts two of the best in the biz in Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner.
RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Washington is in dire need of a real running game this season, and not just from Jayden Daniels. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt offers a skillset that nobody else in the running back room has and it will be very noticeable when you see it.
You might not see it to an extreme at a team practice, but Croskey-Merritt has high level elusiveness, and a cut-upfield ability that Washington lacks in the backfield. Don't expect Croskey-Merritt to be breaking his own teammates' ankles in a padded practice, but when the time comes, he will be ready to use it.
Training camp offers him the opportunity to climb the depth chart by gaining trust in protecting the ball, and also doing the dirty work of improving in pass protection, and in the receiving game. Become so good at everything that they don't want to take you off the field.
Peters decided to go with quality over quantity in the NFL draft, and there's going to be many opportunities at training camp for each rookie to make a name for themselves and earn respectable playing time.
