The Washington Commanders added some much-needed star power to their wide receivers room this offseason by trading for NFL All-Pro Deebo Samuel — finally a worthy option to run routes alongside NFL All-Pro Terry McLaurin.
After those 2, however, things are kind of up for grabs.
That’s why Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski singled out rookie wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks as Washington’s “Most Exciting” undrafted free agent option in 2025.
“Ja’Corey Brooks originally committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide as a 5-star recruit,” Sobleski wrote on May 27. “In 2024, the wide receiver transferred to Louisville where he led the Cardinals with 1,013 receiving yards. Brooks’ game is predicated more on body control than speed and quickness.”
Brooks’ best chance for making the roster would be as a fifth wide receiver and special teams ace — although with 11 wide receivers going through OTAs right now that competition will be one of the most fierce on the team through the preseason and training camp.
Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson had Brooks projected as a sixth or seventh round pick while NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein had him pegged as a priority free agent.
“Brooks has good size and average speed,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s a decent athlete with the length and ball skills to have success downfield. He’s not going to outrun many NFL corners on a sprint … The touchdown production and yards per catch are favorable, but Brooks might have to fight for a back-end spot on a roster.”
Transfer Led to Breakout Season for Brooks
Brooks seemed destined to become an NFL draft pick after a promising sophomore season at the University of Alabama with 39 receptions for 674 yards and a team-high 8 touchdowns in 2022. He saw his role greatly diminished due to a shoulder injury in 2023 and had just 3 receptions for 30 yards and no touchdowns.
“He’s been hurt, which has contributed to his (smaller) role to some degree,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban told The Tuscaloosa News in November 2023. “But he’s been great. He’s done a great job on special teams. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s going into the game and doing a really good job of doing what he needs to do. He got his shoulder banged up, which has been a little bit of an issue for him all year, in the game. We’ll see how that goes this week, as well.”
Brooks played his final season at Louisville and lit it up catching passes from another transfer in quarterback Tyler Shough, who was a second round pick by the New Orleans Saints. Brooks was named All-ACC with career highs of 61 receptions for 1,013 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Slow 40-Yard Dash Time Impacted Draft Stock
Brooks, 6-foot-2 and 184 pounds, saw his draft hopes go by the wayside when he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds at the NFL scouting combine. It’s the type of time that will get you removed from all 32 draft boards.
Another thing working against Brooks in his quest to make the roster is the Commanders have used draft picks on a wide receiver the last 2 years — third rounder Luke McCaffrey in 2024 and fourth rounder Jaylin Lane in 2025.
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