The Washington Commanders selected linebacker Kain Medrano with the 228th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, reuniting him with his former UCLA coach Ken Norton Jr. The team also heads into the 2025 season with high expectations for running back Brian Robinson Jr. and newly acquired wide receiver Deebo Samuel, strengthening an offense led by quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Medrano, a former UCLA standout, texted Norton, now a Commanders assistant coach, “Come get me” as Washington’s pick approached. Minutes later, Norton called to confirm the selection. “It’s just been a really good bond,” Medrano said, crediting Norton for his transition from wide receiver to linebacker at UCLA. Medrano, who recorded 72 tackles in 2024, second on the team, added, “Just being able to be back with the person I felt helped me out the most at this position is very surreal and just a blessing.”
Norton, a three-time Super Bowl champion with 17 years of NFL experience, coached Medrano at UCLA from 2022-23. “He’s someone you want to play football for,” Medrano said of Norton’s coaching style. “It’s fun in the room, but you also get business done. He knows how to explain ball to everybody … He understands how to teach the game of football.”
On offense, the Commanders expect a breakout year from Robinson, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. “He’s been really focused,” offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. Robinson rushed for 799 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. The team went 7-1 in games where he had 15 or more carries, including a 133-yard performance against the New York Giants. “He knows what this year means to him and can mean to us when he plays at that level,” Kingsbury added.
The running back group, including Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols, operates as a committee. Ekeler, now healthy after two concussions in 2024, remains a versatile weapon. McNichols, re-signed for 2025, posted a career-best 261 yards and four touchdowns last season. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, a seventh-round pick, adds depth but is not expected to disrupt the core trio.
The Commanders also acquired wide receiver Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers in February for a fifth-round pick. Samuel, who has nearly 6,000 scrimmage yards and 42 touchdowns since 2019, is adapting to Washington’s offense during offseason workouts. “I feel like the man’s been here forever,” Samuel said of Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Daniels, who led the Commanders to a conference championship with over 5,000 yards, is building chemistry with Samuel. “I think that’s a conversation between me and him,” Daniels said, keeping details private.
Kingsbury praised Samuel’s versatility, noting, “I was always so impressed with how [49ers coach] Kyle [Shanahan] utilized him and did different things with him, and he’s a football player through and through.” Samuel’s 3,594 yards after contact highlight his playmaking ability, complementing Daniels’ precise ball placement.
The Commanders’ third-ranked rushing attack in 2024 thrived when Robinson was central, with four of their top six offensive games featuring at least 16 carries and 60 yards from him. Samuel’s addition aims to elevate the passing game, while Medrano bolsters a defense mentored by Norton’s proven expertise. As Washington prepares for the season, the blend of veteran acquisitions, emerging stars, and rookie talent signals a team poised for impact.
