Few teams in the NFL are as good as the Washington Commanders at finding value when drafting late-round running backs, and the franchise might have done it again by replacing former sixth-round pick Chris Rodriguez Jr. with highly-productive prospect Kaytron Allen, viewed by one longtime observer as the “No. 3-rated running back” in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Commanders took Allen in the same round on Saturday, April 25, making the former Penn State bruiser the 187th player selected. Allen’s a 1300-plus-yard back capable of replacing Rodriguez, who got paid by the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency after being usurped by Jacory Croskey-Merritt, last year’s seventh-round draft steal.
Keytron Allen an Able Replacement for Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The Commanders needed to find a Rodriguez replacement in this draft. Somebody able to be a power-style runner between the tackles and punish defenses.
Allen qualifies, according to veteran former Green Bay Press-Gazette writer Bob McGinn. Writing for Tyler Dunne’s Go Long Substack, McGinn dubbed Allen a “Naturally instinctive runner. If there is a quarter of a hole he’s going to find it. He’s got great run strength and contact balance. He’s going to get the dirty yards.”
“Naturally instinctive runner. If there is a quarter of a hole he’s going to find it. He’s got great run strength and contact balance. He’s going to get the dirty yards.”
Dunne’s reference to Allen being “Bob’s No. 3-rated running back” is no small detail. Particularly when the position group in this class is headlined by names like Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, both first-rounders.
Allen merited a high rating because of his gaudy production for the Nittany Lions. As Dane Brugler of The Athletic pointed out, Allen’s “rushing yardage increased year over year as he became the first player in Penn State history to eclipse 4,000 career rushing yards (also No. 3 in school history with 39 rushing touchdowns and 43 total touchdowns).”
Rushing for “1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns last season,” per The Washington Post’s Jake Russell, only added to Allen’s status as a draft sleeper.
Allen has a great chance to prove he’s a steal by earning a high volume of carries in a backfield rotation lacking certainty behind Croskey-Merritt.
Commanders Need Another Draft RB Find
Signing veterans Rachaad White and Jerome Ford to short-term deals in free agency hardly inspired confidence about Washington’s running game. Nor did retaining useful veteran third-down type Jeremy McNichols.
What was missing was a true workhorse. Somebody capable of carrying the ball 25 times and grinding out the tough yards in the event Croskey-Merritt is not available.
Ideally, JCM and Allen can form a complementary one-two punch. The way Rodriguez and Croskey-Merritt did at times last season.
Mixing up different rushing styles and trusting the hot hand in a flexible backfield committee will only expand the playbook for first-year offensive coordinator David Blough.
Keeping the ground game strong is another way for Blough to protect dual-threat quarterback Jayden Daniels and streamlining the schemes. What could be simpler than Daniels handing off to Allen and watching the 5-foot-11, 218-pounder find the gaps and drag defenders for additional yards?
The Commanders have potentially found the right guy for a key job by taking Allen. If he lives up to the hype, Allen will also help the Commanders continue a positive recent trend of finding competent pro backs late on Day 3, a trend started by Rodriguez in 2023.
Commanders Replace Chris Rodriguez With ‘No. 3-Rated’ Draft RB