ASHBURN, Va. (7News) — There is a buzz at Washington Commanders training camp.
There is plenty of excitement surrounding quarterback Jayden Daniels and the addition of Deebo Samuel.
Keep your eye on the Commanders’ seventh-round draft pick, Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The running back is starting to gain some attention from the Washington coaching staff and media members alike.
He pops off the screen. He’s fast. He runs violently and has the look of an all-around back.
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Jacory is known as Bill–a name he was given as a teenager.
7News Sports Director Scott Abraham sat down with Croskey-Merritt on Friday about how he received the name Bill.
“Me growing up and having a bald head. There’s a cartoon called Little Bill, and it just kind of stuck,” Croskey-Merritt told Abraham. “I was maybe like 15 years old when I got the Bill name. I like it. People think it’s funny, so I just go with it.”
Coming out of high school, Croskey-Merritt was a zero-star recruit. That did not stop him, though, from pursuing his dream of playing in the NFL.
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He scratched and clawed his way through the college ranks. In 2023, Croskey-Merritt started getting national recognition after a fantastic season at the University of New Mexico.
The next challenge now is to make the Commander’s 53-man roster.
“Just coming in and being hungry like I have been from the start. Not getting complacent,” Croskey-Merritt said. “If I have a good day, I know I have to stack good days on top of each other. It will all work itself out if I just stay focused.”