It’s 5 o’clock somewhere…
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From Commanders Wire:
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint can play. He doesn’t have any elite traits, but he runs solid routes, catches everything and is tough and physical at the point of attack. Rosemy-Jacksaint is a first-down machine. Don’t be surprised if this is the player Washington fans rally around this summer. There is a clear path to making the roster for Rosemy-Jacksaint.
Washington fans have seen big receivers in burgundy & gold who could look good in practice but never quite have the full package of skills necessary to perform at a high level in the NFL. Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint is an undrafted wide receiver out of Georgia who has signed with the Commanders. He made an immediate splash on Twitter with a soaring one-handed catch at minicamp.
That’s how you catch attention as a UDFA receiver, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint.pic.twitter.com/ihZu6UuDhY
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 10, 2024
Rosemy-Jacksaint may look capable of taking flight in that short clip, but most of his pre-draft profiles were a bit more down-to-earth. Here’s Lance Zierlein’s understated take:
Long-limbed receiver who might not have the skill set or traits needed to uncover against NFL competition. Rosemy-Jacksaint played with improved ball skills in 2023, which allowed him to tap into his size and length for catch wins. He doesn’t have the speed to separate, and his routes are way too labored and sloppy at this stage. While he has the ball skills to compete at the catch point, he will really need to add polish to his game in order to find himself in consideration as a productive pass catcher.
NFL Draft Buzz says pretty much the same thing in a more positive way and using more flowery speech:
While his vertical speed may not threaten the top shelf of NFL defenses, his sure hands and frame utilization underpin his role as a reliable chain mover. His stint with the Bulldogs underscored a player who’s battle-tested and versatile, though his transition to the pros necessitates honing in on route precision and contested catch dominance.
The critiques on Rosemy-Jacksaint center around his lack of explosive playmaking and nuanced route savviness, potentially pigeonholing him into a more specialized niche within an NFL offense. His separation agility and ability as a downfield threat is pretty much non-existent.
In sum, Rosemy-Jacksaint’s projection to the NFL paints him as a dual-threat in the receiving corps and blocking scheme, with room to grow into a more dynamic offensive weapon. His immediate fit projects as a situational target and special teams contributor, with the potential for growth into a more expansive role contingent on elevating his quickness off the line and route diversity.
At 6’1”, 195 pounds (Washington’s team website lists him at 205) with 33-inch arms, the rookie receiver is similar in size to Terry McLaurin, Dax Milne, and Brycen Tremayne.
247 Sports has a detailed evaluation of Rosemy-Jacksaint that includes GIFs and commentary
Back in February, Mel Kiper said about MRJ: “whether it’s early day three or late day two, in that area. I like this kid a lot.”
The Draft Network assessment is the one that will probably help explain why the Washington front office wanted to bring the former Georgia Bulldog to camp:
Rosemy-Jacksaint primarily aligned outside as the “X” receiver for the Bulldogs but would also see some snaps in the slot as well. He has a good release package and is physical enough to beat press coverage. He is a big-bodied pass-catcher who is excellent on routes working into the field such as slants, posts, ins, and comebacks as he knows how to use his body and position himself between the ball and the defender.
Rosemy-Jacksaint has outstanding hands and ball skills and is excellent at attacking the ball in the air. He is a physical runner after the catch and it takes multiple defenders to bring him down. He is an outstanding blocker on the perimeter and takes a lot of pride in his game in that phase.
Overall, Rosemy-Jacksaint projects as a possession receiver who can move the chains on third down at the next level.
In his 4-year career — all of it at the University of Georgia — MRJ amassed 1,028 receiving yards, with 7 touchdown catches. His best year was his senior year (2023) when he accounted for 535 yards and 4 TDs.
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2020 | Georgia | SEC | FR | WR | 6 | 4 | 62 | 15.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 15.5 | 1 | |
| *2021 | Georgia | SEC | SO | WR | 13 | 7 | 94 | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 94 | 13.4 | 0 | |
| *2022 | Georgia | SEC | JR | WR | 15 | 29 | 337 | 11.6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 337 | 11.6 | 2 | |
| *2023 | Georgia | SEC | SR | WR | 13 | 34 | 535 | 15.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 535 | 15.7 | 4 | |
| Career | Georgia | 74 | 1028 | 13.9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 1028 | 13.9 | 7 | |||||
He joins a Washington Commanders wide receiver room that has one really good player and a lot of question marks.
Of course, every Washington fan knows about Terry McLaurin; Superman wears T-Mac pajamas to bed. But after that, there are few clear answers on the Commanders receiving depth chart.
Jahan Dotson, of course, was a 1st round selection in the 2022 draft, but after getting off to a blazing fast start on his career (4 TDs in his first 4 games), he missed 5 games in the middle of his rookie season with an injury, and has had trouble re-discovering the magic. Dotson, however, did finish his ‘22 season with 344 yards and 3 TDS in the final five games (with the TDs coming in 3 consecutive games), but his production was overshadowed by the team’s 1-3-1 record in those games as they slid out of the NFC wildcard race.
Last season, Dotson surpassed 43 yards in only two games. His two most productive games were Week 8 against the Eagles (108 yrds, 1 TD) and Week 9 against the Patriots (69 yrds, 1 TD). Jahan finished the 2023 season with 518 yards and 4 TDs, accomplishing no more in 17 games than he had in 10 games as a rookie.
Was the ‘23 season a sign that Jahan Dotson is an NFL bust, or was his lack of production the fault of a dysfunctional team, a terrible offensive coordinator and a misfiring offense? We should get answers to those kinds of questions this year.
Olamide Zaccheaus is a free agent signed from the Eagles, where he was under-used last season. The 27-year-old is entering his 6th NFL season. He began his career in Atlanta as an undrafted college free agent when Dan Quinn was the head coach there, playing two seasons under Quinn. He was an early free agent signing this offseason. In his final season with Atlanta, OZ amassed 533 yards at a clip of 13.3 yards per reception, and scored 4 TDs.
Personally, I think Zaccheaus is underrated by most NFL and Washington fans. He has the ability to line up as a Z receiver or in the slot (he’s had about an equal number of snaps at each position in his career). The former Virginia Cavalier has scored a touchdown on about every 10th reception, and more than 70% of his catches have moved the chains with a first down. I’m expecting OZ to thrive in Washington’s offense as the No. 4 WR in 2024.
The only other receiver on the depth chart who has really proven anything in the NFL is Jamison Crowder, the former Duke Blue Devil who was originally drafted into the NFL by the Redskins in the 4th round of the 2015 draft. Crowder has 4,826 career yards and 29 TDs playing mostly as a slot receiver. He has 5 seasons with over 600 yards each (2 of them over 800 yards), but his production has fallen off sharply since 2021; he had just 219 yards in the past two seasons combined.
Crowder’s primary contribution in his 17 games with Washington last season was as a punt returner. His 7.9 yards per return was nothing special, but his willingness to actually return punts was refreshing after watching Dax Milne routinely calling for fair catches on punt after punt in 2022.
I honestly don’t think Crowder has better than a 50/50 shot to make the roster, and he may not if one of the younger players can step up as a superior option as a punt returner.
Luke McCaffrey stands out among those younger players as the one with the highest profile. He was just drafted by the Commanders in the 3rd round, and a ton has been written about him in the past two weeks. Given his draft status, he is a roster lock.
With 5 to 6 roster spots available at the wide receiver position, I consider 4 players to be roster locks:
- Terry McLaurin
- Jahan Dotson
- Olamide Zaccheaus
- Luke McCaffrey
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint will be in competition for the final 1 or 2 spots on the roster at WR with a motley group of players who mostly have NFL experience:
- Dyami Brown
- Jamison Crowder
- Dax Milne
- Mitchell Tinsley
- Kazmeir Allen
- Brycen Tremayne
- Davion Davis
While the ability to contribute offensively will be an obvious requirement, the decision about the final position on the WR depth chart could come down to abilities as a punt and/or kickoff return man.