Commanders Must Weigh Elite Tape Against Injury History for Jordyn Tyson

What if the Washington Commanders go offense in April’s NFL Draft? Running back Jeremyiah Love out of Notre Dame is a popular option, but if the team has that room set by then, perhaps a receiver like Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson will be the answer.

For that to happen, of course, the Commanders would have to answer a lot of roster questions between now and then. Questions like who will rush the passer, who will be the reliable back on third downs, and others.

But even answering every question on the roster won’t solve every curiosity. For that, Washington will turn to this week’s NFL Scouting Combine to try and find answers on every prospect piquing its interest, including Tyson.

Weighing the medical risks

“Teams seeking a polished route-runner with WR1 potential have no doubt pegged Tyson as a worthy candidate heading into pre-draft meetings,” said NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks in his recent column identifying questions to answer at this year’s combine.

Brooks also notes, however, that 2024 was “the only one in which he appeared in 10 or more games, with a series of injuries causing him to miss games throughout his college career. Despite his impressive on-field performance, Tyson's value could rise or fall based on scouts' views of his injury history and future durability.”

Some will tell you there’s no such thing as injury-prone, but when a player has a history of missing time due to being hurt, it certainly raises some eyebrows.

So the question now will be what do the medicals reveal in Indianapolis, and is the talent that is evident on tape enough to outweigh his history and those reports?

Elite traits on tape

To that end, Brooks wrote, “The 6-2, 200-pounder flashes elite ball skills and hand-eye coordination, snagging contested balls between the hashes. Additionally, the Arizona State standout has demonstrated big-play potential on catch-and-run concepts, generating 14.7 yards per catch in 2024; his combination of size and strength makes him tough to tackle in the open field.”

There is no doubt Tyson possesses next-level talent. There are questions, however, about whether or not he’ll be able to stay on the field long enough to have those talents translate in the NFL.

Safer alternatives at No. 7

For my money, at No. 7, and with the Commanders coming off the 2025 campaign they are, I don’t want to roll the dice as much. Because of that, as enticing as a receiver like Tyson looks on tape, if that position is in play for a first-round pick to be spent on by Washington, I’m looking at Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Carnell Tate, or eyeing a trade back partner to lower the cost of taking such a risk later in the day.