Two once-lost paths crossing at just the right time for the Commanders

It’s been a busy week in D.C. Between the Washington Commanders’ stadium bill making progress and Terry McLaurin’s trade request, a rookie upstart continues to make some serious noise at training camp.

For Jacory Croskey-Merritt, going from a 0-star high school recruit to having the chance to make an impact in Year 1 is a unique journey. However, it's something a fellow veteran on the roster has experienced and can guide the young rookie on.

Interestingly enough, that veteran is none other than fellow running back Austin Ekeler.

Ekeler, like Croskey-Merritt, was an undersized back coming out of high school. Despite being All-Conference and All-State in both football and track, he received little interest from major programs.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt should lean on Austin Ekeler before first Commanders campaign

He settled on what is now known as Western Colorado University, a DII school in his home state. This was the only program that said Ekeler could remain at running back.

Croskey-Merritt faced a similar experience, finishing high school with 2,354 all-purpose yards and being All-Metro his senior year, and receiving little interest from colleges. He ultimately also decided to stay in his home state, choosing Alabama State over Alcorn State.

Despite both being seen as skatbacks, their college journeys differed significantly.

Ekeler would go on to become the all-time leading rusher at Western Colorado, finishing with 5,857 rushing yards and 55 touchdowns on the ground. Croskey-Merritt spent four years at Alabama State, finishing with 1,253 rushing yards and 14 scores, before transferring to New Mexico, where he put himself on the NFL's radar.

After rushing for 1,190 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Lobos, he transferred to Arizona in his final year. Croskey-Merrit only played one game due to eligibility issues. That came against his former team, New Mexico, where he finished with 13 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown, averaging a solid 8.15 yards per carry.

Ekeler wound up going undrafted after seeing 27 running backs hear their name called in the 2017 NFL Draft. Croskey-Merritt ended up being picked in the seventh round by the Commanders. No fewer than 24 running backs were selected before him.

Both running backs had similar 40-yard dash times and broad jumps, achieving elite ratings for their Relative Athletic Scores and composite explosion grades. Simply put, they have similar qualities to their game.

Ekeler has made a name for himself with his quarterback protection. Croskey-Merritt is also a willing pass protector, regularly putting his body on the line to keep his signal-caller's pocket clean.

Both running backs play violently, fighting for extra yards. Despite not amassing a lot of receiving statistics in college, Croskey-Merritt has shown flashes in this key area that can be built upon.

Ekeler will be a good tutor to Croskey-Merritt in this aspect of his game. He's surpassed 1,500 scrimmage yards three times in his career, using his versatility to carve out a unique niche in the league. And there's no substitute for experience.

Both running backs play with a chip on their shoulder, having had to work hard for everything they earned, due to being overlooked for their size. Ekeler's college coach, Jas Bains, talked about how he always had the right wiring to be a pro.

We'd be in here on a Saturday getting some work done. You'd look down into this facility — it's just massive — all the lights are on and there's one guy in there. Of course, it's him.Jas Bains

Croskey-Merritt had a similar chance to show his commitment to the game in college. After being unable to play for the majority of his final season, the running back could have pouted. Instead, he kept pushing forward, which impressed the Commanders.

Practicing every day, lifting weights with the team every day and just being in meetings. I wasn't able to play on Saturday, but I was doing everything that the team did. So, I was in shape.Jacory Croskey-Merritt

The rookie has already made an impression in OTAs and training camp, getting an opportunity to run with the first-string offense. He's showcased his athleticism, being the only back outside of Ekeler to succeed on the "over the top" drill. He's shown his sharp cuts and ability to run through contact, which was another important challenge he passed with flying colors.