Commanders’ Jacory Croskey-Merritt — ‘Bill’ — makes a big change before rookie season

Billy Heyen

Commanders’ Jacory Croskey-Merritt — ‘Bill’ — makes a big change before rookie season image

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, more affectionately known as Bill, is ready to take the NFL by storm.

The rest of the league didn't see this seventh-round rookie coming, but the Commanders traded away Brian Robinson Jr., and on the eve of the regular season, the talented running back is ready to rock.

To get himself as prepared as possible, Croskey-Merritt has made a key change.

He spent the preseason wearing No. 32, but his jersey number will take a decade off for the season. JCM's rookie number for the regular season will be 22.

A couple social media replies referred to him as the "first 22 dollar Bill."

MORE: Brock Purdy is going to win MVP for the wildest Marquez Valdes-Scantling reason

Mike Thomas, Carlos Rogers and Curtis Jordan are the three best players to wear No. 22 in Washington franchise history. Most recently, Darrick Forrest wore it from 2022 through 2024.

Croskey-Merritt split his college career between Alabama State, New Mexico and Arizona.

He made it all the way to the draft's seventh round, where he was chosen at pick No. 245 overall.

This summer, Croskey-Merritt has quickly moved up the depth chart in Washington, and he seems likely to split time with Austin Ekeler in the early going.

MORE: Shilo Sanders teases a career change if he can't stick in NFL

JCM has flown up fantasy draft boards, and probably for good reason.

There's no telling exactly how good he'll be as a rookie, or in his career.

But if JCM is on the field, rocking his fresh new No. 22, he'll have a chance to make an immediate impact.

Not bad for a guy who saw 244 players get drafted before him in April.

MORE NFL NEWS:

Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle