Getting to know the Commanders’ rookie class
In the past, guessing whom the Commanders might pick in the seventh round has been an exercise in futility. By that point in the draft, player evaluations are all over the place, and NFL teams frequently pick players that fans and media have never heard of.
In Adam Peters’ first two drafts in Washington, it seems to have got a lot easier. Look for prospects with freaky athleticism, projected to be available in the late rounds for reasons other than lack of NFL upside, with double-barrel last names, who have received a lot of attention from the team, and you’re well on your way to having a short list.
In Peters’ first season in Washington, the Commanders selected Notre Dame defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste (RAS 9.13). JJB was blessed with the length that NFL teams covet for the position, combined with NFL-level speed and explosiveness who had met with the team three times during the draft process, including visiting Ashburn for a Top 30 Visit. I was one of the few HH regulars to not earmark JJB as the Commanders’ seventh round pick, because I overestimated the impact that his 239 lb combine weight would have on the team’s decision. That was while I was just beginning to learn about the new coaching staff’s schemes and player preferences.
This year’s selection was high on my radar as a late-round RB option for the Commanders ever since he burst onto the scene with a standout performances in Hula Bowl practices and as the Shrine Bowl offensive MVP. His selection was widely hailed as a draft steal for good reason. He brings a skillset that was missing from the Commanders’ rushing attack. He runs with vision and burst to hit holes to create more than the blocking gives him, combined with breakaway speed to rip off long gains when he finds room. At the very least, he expands the rushing attack as a complementary piece, adding lightning to Brian Robinson’s thunder. But it would not be a huge surprise to see him compete for starting reps in training camp.
One thing about Croskey-Merritt that slipped under my radar before the draft was his curious nickname, “Bill”. Readers who have seen my comments may know I have a particular interest in players with distinctive names. A name can tell you a lot about an NFL hopeful’s chances. Fifth round pick Kenneth Gainwell, for example, has been a sneaky good addition as a rotational running back for the Eagles. And Commanders fans don’t need to be reminded that paying more attention to players’ names could have helped Ron Rivera avoid the blunder of signing Chris Blewitt as a place kicker.
When Bill-in-Bangkok releases an update of his Commanders’ roster projection, I diligently pore through the depth ranks in search of unannounced new additions with names reminiscent of menu items at an ethnic restaurant I’ve been meaning to go to, who could become the next Bunmi Rotimi.
I follow a similar process in the draft, combing through online profiles of players like Georgia Southern’s DB Chance Gamble, OSU RB Quinshon Judkins, VA Tech DT Aeneas Peebles, Tennessee G Javontez Spraggins, Texas A&M WR Moose Muhammad III, Maryland RB Ruben Hyppolite II and Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery, in a never ending search for prospects who might make unique contributions to the Commanders roster.
After a fairly ordinary draft, in the name department, it came as a pleasant surprise to learn that Jacory Croskey-Merritt actually goes by the name of Bill, when video of his draft-day call from Adam Peters was released.
“Bill” stands out among nicknames for professional athletes for its humble simplicity.
When word got out, commenters on Hogs Haven were curious to know the origin of the newest Commander’s curiously plain nickname. As this is a topic of great interest to me, I immediately set out to find the answers they sought.
My initial Google searches met with frustration. There were a few suggestions in pre-draft reporting that he was given the nickname by fellow players in college. But nobody really seemed to know. A little more digging turned up the answer in an interview for a University of Arizona player profile series posted on YouTube. In Croskey-Merritt’s own words:
I got the nickname Bill from having a bald head when I was little. I used to have a low haircut, so people joked on me and said I looked like the character Little Bill. So it just stuck with me.
For the benefit of readers like myself, who didn’t know, Little Bill was an animated educational children’s show, created and produced by Bill Cosby, that ran on Nickelodeon from 1999 to 2004. The star of the show was Little Bill Glover, a young boy with a shaved head and an active imagination, growing up in Philadelphia.
Croskey-Merritt picked up the nickname as a child and it has stuck with him through adulthood.
While fans are rightly excited about adding a dynamic weapon to the running back room, the addition of a player named “Bill” to the Commanders’ roster does create an issue for Hogs Haven.
Croskey-Merritt’s nickname creates potential for confusion to arise in our discussion forums, where there is already a Bill, namely staff writer Bill-In-Bangkok. If the need arises, I suggest referring to Croskey-Merritt by his original nickname “Little Bill”, or alternatively “Commander Bill”, or “Fast Bill”. While Hogs Haven’s resident Bill can be “BiB”, “Bangkok Bill”, “Big Bill” (since he is a former offensive lineman) or “Old Bill”.