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NFL Draft: Which Commanders Pick Was 'Most Interesting'?

The Washington Commanders' most interesting pick could be a plus in the red zone.

The Washington Commanders added another potential weapon in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by taking Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. 

Among Washington's draft class, CBS Sports listed Rodriguez as the "most interesting" pick.

"Well, Ron Rivera found his goal-line back," CBS Sports writes. "Maybe that's not fair. Rodriguez can definitely do more. But I'm interested to see how many touches he gets with Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson ahead of him. Either way, I like this pick."

Rodriguez was one the most productive running backs to play at Kentucky. The Georgia native ran for 3,644  yards, which is third all-time for the Wildcats in program history.

The two-time team captain had 32 rushing touchdowns, which is second all-time at Kentucky, and 35 total touchdowns, which is fourth all-time. Rodriguez ran for over 100 yards in a school-record 20 games for Kentucky.

Rodriguez ran for 904 yards and had six rushing touchdowns in 2022. His best season came in 2021 when he ran for 1,378 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. figures to be the feature back after how he performed in a small sample size in 2022, rushing for 797 yards in 12 games.  

If Rodriguez can recapture his 2021 form, he'll likely have a chance to see significant playing time alongside and could be more than just a goal-line threat for the 12th-best rushing attack in 2022. 


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