Jahan Dotson will see second-year breakout with the Commanders
By Hunter Haas
Terry McLaurin is already a star for the Commanders, but second-year wide receiver Jahan Dotson is set to breakout in 2023.
The Washington Commanders have had a rocky run lately, both on and off the field. A failed Carson Wentz experiment, paired with uncertainty around team owner Daniel Snyder, made for a disastrous 2022 campaign.
How Will The Commanders Perform In 2023?
Now, fans are free of the underwhelming duo. Wentz is out in the woods somewhere, and Snyder is probably yelling at some clouds. Head coach Ron Rivera is left to pick up the pieces, seemingly having the trust of the new ownership group.
Whether Rivera is around for the long haul or not, he must put together a strong 2023 season to fend off the fans with pitchforks. Quarterback Sam Howell was named the QB1 at the onset of the offseason, and the franchise has not wavered once.
With Howell operating as the starter behind center, the Commanders hope he can utilize an impressive group of weapons in the Nation’s Capital. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin is criminally underrated and deserves to be near the top of any positional rankings.
Jahan Dotson Is A Bomb Waiting To Explode
But his partner-in-crime, Jahan Dotson, is set to take some stress off the grizzled veteran. Dotson, a second-year player out of Penn State, got off to a hot start as a rookie. But an unfortunate injury put him on the shelf for nearly half of the season, stunting his momentum.
Still, the Nittany Lion product found the end zone seven times in 12 appearances and registered 35 total receptions for 523 yards. He ended the season particularly well, including a three-catch, 72-yard performance in Sam Howell’s “audition” in Week 18 vs. the Dallas Cowboys.
The connection between Howell and Dotson has only gotten stronger during the offseason. It seems like every day a new clip comes out of Commanders training camp showing the two linking up on a deep pass downfield.
Their skill sets mesh perfectly, as Howell thrives at stretching defenses vertically, and Dotson possesses some of the best ball-tracking abilities I’ve ever scouted. Even better, the young pass catcher has sure hands and rarely drops the football. This dates back to his collegiate days.
McLaurin And Dotson Form A Lethal Duo At WR
Those who “know ball” know how talented McLaurin is on one side. And with Dotson, the two wideouts will soon form one of the best tandems in the entire league. They are both proficient route runners, brilliant minds, and as reliable as can be.
Howell may struggle to be a starting NFL quarterback, but it won’t be due to a lack of weapons. If the Commanders perform better than expected in 2023, I’d be willing to bet everything I own that Dotson and McLaurin played a key role. They will both exceed 1,000 yards with ease and should catch at least 150 balls combined.
In a league full of ascending talent at wide receiver, perhaps none are as exciting as Jahan Dotson. And odds are, some of the casual fans out there have no idea who he is yet. But rest assured, they will wake up soon enough. Dotson’s stock is on the rise in D.C.