The Washington Commanders have started signing contracts with their draft picks, including former Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez Jr.
The Commanders announced today that they have signed Rodriguez Jr., defensive end KJ Henry and defensive end Andre Jones Jr.
Here is an excerpt of a release from the team:
The Washington Commanders have begun signing their 2023 draft class. Defensive end KJ Henry, running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. and defensive end Andre Jones Jr. all signed their rookie deals earlier this week.
Henry (6-foot-4, 294 pounds) was the No. 6 player in the country, according to ESPN, the No.3 defensive end and the No. 2 overall player in North Carolina. A five-year contributor for the Tigers, Henry played in 58 games with 122 tackles, 13.5 sacks and 28 tackles for a loss.
Henry is disruptive, a former team captain and uses his speed to blow by offensive tackles and will provide quality depth to the Commanders’ defensive line. In addition to his 4.63 40-yard dash, he also recorded a 31.5-inch vertical and a 9-foot-4 broad jump.
A three-star recruit and all-state pick out of high school in Georgia, Rodriguez ascended to an influential role for Kentucky during the 2019 season. As a backup that year, he played in all 13 games (71-533-7.5, six touchdowns). He followed that up by leading the team in rushing with 785 yards on 119 carries (6.6 per game) and 11 scores in nine contests without a start. In 2021, he stepped into the starting running back spot, rushing 1,379 yards and scoring nine touchdowns on his way to garnering second-team All-SEC honors. Rodriguez wrapped up his time in Kentucky with seven starts in eight games played (175-904-5.2, six touchdowns; 5-41-8.2 receiving) in 2022.
