Jacory Croskey-Merritt proved what Commanders fans have known for months

The Washington Commanders have taken their time with Jacory Croskey-Merritt despite the immense hype building around the running back throughout the summer. But offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was always going to take the shackles off at some stage.

As it turned out, that came in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Croskey-Merritt was ready for the moment.

This was an exceptional display from Croskey-Merritt. He was explosive, elusive, and ran with supreme aggression. The Chargers didn't have an answer, and Kingsbury leaned on the player heavily to get Washington back on track after a sluggish start.

The Commanders have run a backfield committee after Brian Robinson Jr. was traded and Austin Ekeler got hurt. However, the seventh-round rookie confirmed what fans have been saying for weeks with this dominant display.

Commanders have their new RB1 in rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt

He's the guy. He's always been the guy.

This cements it.

It's not perfect just yet from Croskey-Merritt. His fumble didn't end up being all that costly, but it's something to clean up. There is also a lot of hard work ahead to improve his pass protection. But as a pure runner, the Commanders are getting much more than they bargained for with the No. 245 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Croskey-Merritt isn't your average Day 3 pick. His ferociously elegant running style, improved contact balance, and burst in space are precisely what the Commanders needed to set a different tone at SoFi Stadium. The rookie was effective in between the tackles and also got enormous joy rushing off the tackle tandem of Laremy Tunsil and Josh Conerly Jr.

With 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns from 14 carries, this was Croskey-Merritt's coming-out party. He's also increasing his influence as a receiver out of the backfield, which is only going to help him become a complete package alongside Jayden Daniels.

If the buzz around Croskey-Merritt was high coming into the contest, it's gone through the roof now. It's a meteoric rise to prominence that defies his seventh-round standing. To say he's seized the moment would be an understatement, and he already looks like the steal of the draft through five weeks.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to rein in Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders want to protect him, but he looks ready for whatever is thrown his way. There's an infectious enthusiasm and purpose that's hard not to love, and he's only going to get better with more experience.

That's excellent news for the Commanders and the man they call Bill. However, it's a scary proposition for the rest of the league.

Croskey-Merritt has arrived. And he's not planning on leaving anytime soon.

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