Washington Commanders draft Luke McCaffrey: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel

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Washington Commanders draft Luke McCaffrey: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel

The Washington Commanders selected Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey at No. 100 in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

McCaffrey, the brother of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and son of three-time Super Bowl-winning receiver Ed McCaffrey, started his college career as a quarterback at the University of Nebraska. He initially left Nebraska for Louisville, but later entered the transfer portal and wound up at Rice.

He switched his position to wide receiver in 2022 and immediately had an impact. He finished his final two seasons at Rice with 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Commanders general manager Adam Peters certainly had plenty of intel on McCaffrey from his time with the 49ers, where Christian never shied away from talking up his brother.

When asked about Luke at the NFL Scouting Combine, Peters said: “Anytime you can get a McCaffrey, you’re not gonna go wrong.”

NFL Draft 2024 tracker: Live blog, pick-by-pick grades and analysis
Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
Draft pick grades: Nick Baumgardner, Scott Dochterman rate Rounds 2-3
Full draft order: Team picks for all 257 selections
“The Athletic Football Show”: Watch live reaction to the draft

‘The Beast’ breakdown

McCaffrey ranked No. 167 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:

“McCaffrey doesn’t always uncover as easily as his testing numbers might suggest, but he is smart and controlled in his route movements with the tough-minded ball skills to be a steady possession target. His ability to carve out a role on special teams could be the key to him earning a roster spot as a rookie.”

Nick Baumgardner grades the pick

A member of the now-famous McCaffrey athletic family (Ed’s son, Christian’s brother), Luke is a big, explosive target with great speed and general movement skills. A former college quarterback, McCaffrey’s first year as a receiver was at Rice in 2022 and came with 58 catches for 723 yards and six touchdowns. A growing prospect and a nice player. However, not the best receiver on the board here in my opinion. Grade: C-plus

How he fits

Factoring in Washington’s need for a slot receiver and the Peters’ connection, this pick almost seems too obvious. McCaffrey caught 71.2 percent of his passes from the slot over the past two years.

Rookie impact

McCaffrey grew up in a football household — Ed was a longtime NFL receiver — and has been there for Christian’s career. This should make his transition to the NFL easier than the standard rookie. His good size — just under 6-foot-2 — is another benefit for a team lacking taller receivers.

Depth-chart impact

Washington lost Curtis Samuel in free agency and only made modest moves this offseason before the McCaffrey pick. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson are locked on the outside. McCaffrey is arguably the favorite to land the slot role in 11 personnel over Olamide Zaccheaus and Jamison Crowder. There will be a competition for the fifth and sixth spots.

They also could have picked …

No edge rushers were added on Day 2, even though “30” visit prospect Austin Booker remained available despite a third-round projection. Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright is a dynamic dual-threat with the skills to complement Austin Ekeler.

Fast evaluation

Nothing is guaranteed until McCaffrey joins his new teammates on the practice field and we see how he blends with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s designs. Still, the NFL DNA is obvious, and the need and fit are ideal.

(Photo: Tim Heitman / USA Today)