ASHBURN — The Washington Commanders rounded out their draft Saturday with a running back and a linebacker.
The Commanders drafted former Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth round and selected Louisiana linebacker Andre Jones with the 223rd pick in the seventh round. The two choices fill needs for Washington as coach Ron Rivera had talked openly about wanting to add another rusher after J.D. McKissic’s release, while Jones gives Washington another pass rusher under contract beyond next season.
Rodriguez, though, isn’t a one-to-one replacement for McKissic in terms of role. While McKissic was used heavily in the passing game and on third downs, Rodriguez is more of a conventional power rusher who ran for 904 yards and six touchdowns in 2022. The 5-foot-11 back had only 20 catches for 116 yards in five years at Kentucky.
Last year, Rodriguez was suspended for the first four games of the season after pleading guilty in June 2022 to driving under the influence.
Coincidentally, Rodriguez grew up in the same town (McDonough, Georgia) as Commanders running back Antonio Gibson. Rodriguez told reporters he looked up to Gibson and has closely followed his career. The 22-year-old recalled how when he was a freshman and Gibson was a senior, Gibson “destroyed us” when their two high school teams played each other.
Now, Rodriguez joins Gibson, Brian Robinson Jr., Jonathan Williams and Jarrett Patterson in a crowded running back room for Washington. Gibson, Williams and Patterson are entering the final years of their contracts, however.
Jones, who is 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds, is more of an edge rusher than a traditional linebacker. Jones played an unusual six seasons in college, but was a four-year starter. He excelled with his lean frame and takes advantage of his long arms. He had 17 1/2 sacks, 13 1/2 of which came in the last two years.
The Commanders were in search of edge rushers as that position faced uncertainty beyond this coming season. Chase Young, Montez Sweat, Efe Obada, James Smith-Williams, Casey Toohill and William Bradley-King are all set to become free agents in 2024. Edge rusher Shaka Toney is also suspended indefinitely for gambling on NFL games.
Jones’ was the second pass rusher that the Commanders took in this year’s draft as the team also traded up to grab Clemson’s K.J. Henry in the fifth round.
In all, the Commanders made a total of seven selections:
1-16: Emmanuel Forbes, cornerback, Mississippi State
2-47: Quan Martin, safety, Illinois
3-97: Ricky Stromberg, center, Arkansas
4-118: Braeden Daniels, offensive lineman, Utah
5-137: K.J. Henry, defensive end, Clemson
6-193: Chris Rodriguez Jr., running back Kentucky
7-233: Andre Jones, linebacker, Louisiana
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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