Washington: A Plan Going Forward, Part 1

November 28, 2025

by David Earl

The Running Back Group

Recently Washington’s most productive running back has been Chris Rodriguez Jr., who has averaged 4.7 yards per carry on 60 attempts. He lacks any elite burst or top end speed, which makes him easy to track down. Rodriguez also has average hands in the passing game and is very route limited. His true value is as a between the tackle runner who can move the pile with just enough burst to quickly get into the second level. While some may be enamored by Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rodriguez brings excellent value as a short yardage runner who can complement a dynamic pass catching running back much like the tandem for the Detroit Lions. While Austin Ekeler is an excellent pass catching running back, they need to find someone like a Jahmyr Gibbs and Croskey-Merritt does not appear to be that guy. This is not to say give up on him either, but there’s a reason he slid to the 7th round and we have seen some of that since the week 5 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The 2026 draft offers plenty of options who chould complement Chris Rodriguez Jr., provided Washington re-signs him. ere are a couple names to watch:

Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame, 6’4″ and 214lbs

• Strengths: Elite acceleration and great top end speed. Great contact balance and runs with good power between the tackles. Patient and elusive in tight spaces while exceptional in open spaces. Prototypical three down runner as he is a natural pass catcher out of the backfield.
• Weaknesses: Needs work in pass protection as he inconsistently anchors in well against pass rushers. Will need to develop a more refined route tree and will need to carry the ball higher into his frame to ensure better ball security.
• Conclusion: Clearly the best running back in this class and projected as a top 10 selection. While a game changing threat on the field, Washington will have draft options on defensive that they sorely need. That said, he is worthy of an early first round pick to fill that pass catching role for Jayden Daniels, left behind by Austin Ekeler. Love brings that dynamic skillset that NFL teams covet and what this offense desperately needs.

Nicholas Singleton, PSU, 6’0″ and 224lbs

• Strengths: Great burst off his first step and has elite top end speed defenses will need to account for him each week. Has excellent lateral movement and a smooth start-stop transition in his footwork. Very good contact balance and drives through tackles very well. Developed into an excellent pass catcher and is very elusive in open space.
• Weaknesses: Can be an impatient runner at times not allowing his blocks to develop. Does run a bit stiff at times which hinders lateral movement at times. Can be better as a decisive runner and improve in shedding would be tacklers.
• Conclusion: Singleton is certainly a three down runner with top end game speed and does run with good power. He is more of a one step and go runner who can navigate well in tight running lanes. Singleton is another great fit for what Washington needs in making their offense more dynamic and will compliment Chris Rodriqgez Jr. exceptionally well.

At the moment, this draft seems to lack the depth in terms of a true three down workhorse running back beyond the two mentioned. Jadarian Price out of Notre Dame offers plenty of upside, including a 4.44 second forty time, and he’s showed himself to be one of the more elusive running backs potentially entering the 2026 draft. He shows great natural receiving ability and has excellent start/stop quickness in the open field but his pass protection and relatively light workload history might push him into the later rounds. Price is a realistic option if Washington prefers to target an elite level defensive player or a future top tier wide receiver early in the draft. Beyond him the question marks arise such as injury history or struggles in pass protection especially due to lack of ideal size. This is not an offseason to bring in an aging veteran – re-signing Chris Rodriguez Jr. and pairing him up with one of these names is the ideal direction. This would allow Jacory Croskey-Merritt to develop into a productive piece over time as this team has got to start grooming these young pieces.

The Wide Receiver Group

What a disaster this group has been this season.  This was a group that held great optimism heading into the 2025 season. Washington’s leading wide receiver, Terry McLaurin, began the season with a hold out for a contract and ended up appearing in just 4 games so far. He has missed the previous 3 games due to a reaggravated quad injury and is still not ready to return. The recently extended McLaurin will certainly be the team’s top receiver heading into the 2026 season. The trade for Deebo Samuel has not been great but he has been productive to some degree. There is no guarantee they re-sign him next season and being 30 years old entering the 2026 season, I doubt he returns. Noah Brown has only played 11 of the 34 available games since acquiring him, which has unfortunately been the story of his career. As I see this position group, Washington must invest early in the 2026 draft for a true complement opposite Terry McLaurin and here are a few options.

Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State, 6’2″ and 200lbs

• Strengths: Excellent separation and great transition within his routes. Manipulates defenders exceptionally well gaining leverage on intermediate routes. Tracks the ball very well and excellent focus while in traffic.
• Weaknesses: Does carry some injury concerns and could add more bulk to his frame. Needs more development in his route tree and will need to improve against press coverage.
• Conclusion: Tyson is the best WR1 in this draft class with his burst off the line and for how well he gains separation against the defenders. He is effective playing both outside and inside slot position with having excellent footwork to set up defenders.

Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee, 6’5″ and 200lbs

• Strengths: Has excellent footwork off the line and sinks his hips into his routes very well allowing great burst into the routes. Agility down field to adjust to the ball plus his ball tracking ability makes him a very difficult receiver to cover. Does not catch with his body plus has surprisingly good contact balance for a slim frame.
• Weaknesses: His 200lb frame will potentially be an issue and lacks elite long speed at times. There will be some bad concentration drops at times and can get a bit too handsy against the defender.
• Conclusion: Brazzell understands angles and works his size into gaining leverage against the secondary. He will force a defense having to guard his long speed against the secondary to the intermediate area of the field where Brazzell seems to excel the best as a receiver.

Carnell Tate, OSU, 6’3″ and 195lbs

• Strengths: May be one of the best route technicians in this class and has excellent body control when adjusting to the passes targetting his way. Will play the ball with his hands and his first steps out of his break is fantastic. Primariluy thrives in the intermeiate routs and does not shy away from blocking in the run game.
• Weaknesses: Lacks elite level top end speed and can occasionally drift rounding off his routes. Will need to improve on his run blocking and his hand placement for leverage over defenders will need refinement.
• Conclusion: As a Ohio State wide receiver, Tate carries a pedigree to the NFL. He can work all levels of the field very well with his immediate passing game being his strongest asset. While Washington needs a true deep threat to stress the defense, Tate’s route running technique and overall awareness finding zones to sit into make him a very dangers receiver especially in the red zone.

There is good depth in this draft group, with other potential names that would fit well opposite of Terry McLaurin. Makai Lemon from USC has great acceleration off the line and does well manipulating defenders off the line. He also tracks the ball exceptionally well but struggles against press coverage. When unable to get a free release off the line his route technique takes a significant degrade in route technique. His best position appears to be from the slot position and while his overall athleticism makes him a dangerous downfield threat, Washington may want more size as Lemon stands at 5’11” and 195lbs.

Louisville’s Chris Bell brings an NFL preferred build at 6’2″, 220lbs and 4.48 forty time. Bell’s rare combination of linebacker size and legitimate track speed immediately positions him for any team as a day one starter, but his route tree needs refinement and can get caught up mid route allowing physical corners to take leverage advantage. His combination of size, speed and physicality is what Washington sorely needs.

The Tight End Group

This position group is very simple heading into the 2026 offseason: it needs immediate impact help. Zach Ertz has been a very reliable target, but he is well past his prime, presenting limited threat in seam routes or run after catches. Ben Sinnott still has a high ceiling but proving to have a very low floor value in development. If there is anything to learn from the play of CB Emmanuel Forbes for the Los Angeles Rams, do not give up on young talent too quickly. We still need to remember Sinnott’s scouting report showed an explosive player with strong hands and physical after the catch. It is imperative Washington develops him over the course of this season and off season but there are also some top end options in next year’s draft.

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon, 6″3″ and 245lbs

• Strengths: Elite burst and speed to great separation from linebackers and safeties. Great contested ball catcher and has wide receiver ball tracking abilities. Versatile player who can line up in the slot creating mismatched against smaller slot corners. Outstanding body control and great awareness on the field along the sidelines. Strong physical player making him tough to tackle and a solid run blocker.
• Weaknesses: Has a bit of an undersized frame at 245lbs that will cause him to struggle against the bigger defensive sets when blocking. While he does bring physicality to the game, he has an inconsistent blocking technique. Will need to further develop his route tree if he wants to translate his athletic skillset successfully at the next level.
• Conclusion: While his 245lb frame will be some cause for concern, his overall athletic profile translates perfectly to the next level. Sadi brings a strong technique  in his routes although having a limited route tree. The bigger defensive lineman will be a struggle for him in blocking but his speed and leverage over linebackers in the passing game should translate very well at the next level. With the emergence of John Bates as a good blocker and reliable pass catcher, Sadiq could be a perfect compliment to Bates, especially in 12 personnel sets.

Max Klare, OSU, 6’5″ and 243lbs

• Strengths: Very good route runner with good deceptive acceleration and burst. Good natural hands and makes excellent adjustments on off target throws. Has great focus in traffic and rarely goes down on first contact. His basketball experience and ability to box out defenders makes him an excellent contested ball receiver as well.
• Weaknesses: Will need to refine his blocking technique keeping pad level lower when engaging. Will tend to telegraph his routes at times and will get too handsy.
• Conclusion: Does not carry the most gifted athletic profile but his natural pass catching ability and body frame makes him a formidable target. Even though Klare can telegraph routes at times, he displays a fluid athleticism and instinctive hands that offensives seek in today’s game.

Note: All scouting reports from NFL Draft Buzz