RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, WAS (1 Viewer)

[rockaction]

Deserves his own thread after his Big Twelve Pro Day showing and winning the MVP at the East-West Shrine Game 2025.

Former Alabama State, New Mexico, and Arizona running back who had eligibility issues in the 2024 year, which caused him to miss almost the entire year. He recently met with the 49ers about potential employment in the pros.

Ran a 4.45 forty at the Big Twelve Pro Day
Jumped a 41.5" vertical and a 10'4" broad jump.
Ran a shuttle of 4.44
Benched seventeen reps
Sustained MPH of 22.05 during the forty

Guy to look for later in rookie drafts.

Here are some highlights:

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[BigTex]

lol I thought he had one.

Guess I’m koo koo for coco puffs!

Giddy up,

Tex

 

[Faust]

2025 NFL Draft: Five prospects who stood out in East-West Shrine Bowl

Excerpt:

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Arizona​

Croskey-Merritt (5-10 1/2, 206) had to be hungry for a big Shrine Bowl after missing all but one game during the 2024 season due to injury, and he ate for 97 yards and two scores on 11 carries. He pressed the line hard and ran tough through tackles but also got outside and found a second gear. Even when getting hit at the line, Croskey-Merritt spun out of contact or lowered his pads and churned his legs to gain a few yards. His first score came on a hesitation move, with the back freezing and stiff-arming LSU LB Greg Penn III in the open field before running to the corner. It was an eye-opening effort for teams in the market to pick a running back on Day 3 of the draft.

 

[Faust]

Arye Pulli
Shrine Bowl MVP RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt, an early Day 3 target, has six top-30 visits, per source.

He’s already visited the #Patriots, #Vikings, and #Chiefs. Still to come: The #Commanders and two others.

https://x.com/aryepullinfl/status/1910711112888168857?s=61

 

[Faust]

Kansas City Chiefs recently met with a prospect who could be one of the biggest steals in the entire 2025 NFL Draft

 

[Faust]

Eric Galko
Jacory Croskey-Merritt had the highest Max deceleration EVER on offense since the Shrine Bowl partnered with @ZebraSports (-7.29 yds/sec squared)

His ability to stop, cut and redirect is special, and he showed it throughout the @ShrineBowl game ()

#ShrineBowlWhosNext

https://x.com/ericgalko/status/1887570108731531378?s=61

Lance Zierlein
Arizona RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt may have played in just one regular season game (due to eligibility concerns) and the Shrine Game but he shined in both, has a good season of tape from 2023 to watch and just ran a 4.45 and jumped 41" at the Big 12 Combine. He is not a secret.

https://x.com/lancezierlein/status/1903467306665066867?s=61

 

[Faust]

Kent Lee Platte
Jacory Croskey-Merritt is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 8.28 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 362 out of 2099 RB from 1987 to 2025.

ras.football/ras-informatio…

https://x.com/mathbomb/status/1909613451477237927?s=61

 

[Faust]

Jacob Gibbs
Tyrone Tracy has some of the best start/stop tracking data at the RB position here, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt absolutely buries him!

(also shoutout Corey Kiner elite deceleration)

https://x.com/jagibbs_23/status/1909978060415283594?s=61

 

[Ilov80s]

I see he’s got good size and great athleticism. What’s his style of play? Who does he comp to on the field?

 

[Ilov80s]

Oh I see the other big flaw with this guy. Today is his birthday. His 24th birthday.

 

[Football Jones]

I can't help but think Croskey-Merritt would've been drafted quite a bit higher if not for being ruled ineligible this season (after 1 game). He likely would've put up huge numbers.

You rarely see guys as electric as he is be such a violent runner. This cat is a day-2 RB on talent, alone, all day long, IMO. Good situation with the Skins, as well. Just turned 24, which is old, but not terribly so.

I believe JCM is the best sleeper RB the FF community has seen in a long time.

 

[ffmail4me]

There is talk he may end up on the practice squad. Not sure he makes any impact this year.

 

[Football Jones]

There is talk he may end up on the practice squad. Not sure he makes any impact this year.

I'd be surprised, but not shocked.

Gotta think JCM shows enough to stick, but you never know what you're going to get with guys who don't have a lot of tape.

 

[rockaction]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

 

[Football Jones]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

 

[rockaction]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

I think it was very much baked in, which is why I was thrilled to get him with the 6.03 in our IDP draft. He played one game at U of Arizona and then was yanked off of the field. Then he had no combine but was able to test electronically at the Big 12 Pro Day and shone like I expected. I think highly of him.

I had no picks going into my draft and traded a very questionable (maybe never to return) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for a 6.03 and 6.12 just to draft Croskey-Merritt and then the underrated Orande Gadsden who has talent, ample opportunity, and genetic bloodlines in the NFL.

While I’m riffing, time will tell if I majorly messed up, but Cleveland was talking about JOK having success if he was walking and then had no contact with him while he pushes clean water products for Africa (not kidding about that—he is Afrocentric in ways that are deep and outward, so they’ve sort of lost touch with him).

 

[Don Quixote]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

I think it was very much baked in, which is why I was thrilled to get him with the 6.03 in our IDP draft. He played one game at U of Arizona and then was yanked off of the field. Then he had no combine but was able to test electronically at the Big 12 Pro Day and shone like I expected. I think highly of him.

I had no picks going into my draft and traded a very questionable (maybe never to return) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for a 6.03 and 6.12 just to draft Croskey-Merritt and then the underrated Orande Gadsden who has talent, ample opportunity, and genetic bloodlines in the NFL.

While I’m riffing, time will tell if I majorly messed up, but Cleveland was talking about JOK having success if he was walking and then had no contact with him while he pushes clean water products for Africa (not kidding about that—he is Afrocentric in ways that are deep and outward, so they’ve sort of lost touch with him).

I think a good pick there. I had him on my college fantasy team and thought he was great when out there. Going to a good offense too, with players ahead of him not really doing anything extraordinary.

I drafted Hunter a few picks after you — probably would have gone with JCM if he was still out there. I picked JCM at 6.03 in ZF Superflex. But in the 6th round, I’m usually just hoping to hit somebody who won’t be automatic cut by next RFA.

 

[Football Jones]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

I think it was very much baked in, which is why I was thrilled to get him with the 6.03 in our IDP draft.

I was mostly referring to NFL draft capital, but going that late definitely made it easier to acquire him at more of a value in FF drafts.

 

[rockaction]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

I think it was very much baked in, which is why I was thrilled to get him with the 6.03 in our IDP draft. He played one game at U of Arizona and then was yanked off of the field. Then he had no combine but was able to test electronically at the Big 12 Pro Day and shone like I expected. I think highly of him.

I had no picks going into my draft and traded a very questionable (maybe never to return) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for a 6.03 and 6.12 just to draft Croskey-Merritt and then the underrated Orande Gadsden who has talent, ample opportunity, and genetic bloodlines in the NFL.

While I’m riffing, time will tell if I majorly messed up, but Cleveland was talking about JOK having success if he was walking and then had no contact with him while he pushes clean water products for Africa (not kidding about that—he is Afrocentric in ways that are deep and outward, so they’ve sort of lost touch with him).

I think a good pick there. I had him on my college fantasy team and thought he was great when out there. Going to a good offense too, with players ahead of him not really doing anything extraordinary.

I drafted Hunter a few picks after you — probably would have gone with JCM if he was still out there. I picked JCM at 6.03 in ZF Superflex. But in the 6th round, I’m usually just hoping to hit somebody who won’t be automatic cut by next RFA.

I didn’t know you’d picked Hunter. He was getting a lot of buzz in the fantasy world in the run-up but I had honestly done my draft work before he was a riser (I think) so I’m not all-too familiar. I will say I’m not sold on Kyren or Corum so who knows? Maybe he makes the team and surprises.

You’re dead right about hoping they just make the team or get assigned to the practice squad. I have loftier hopes for Jacory, but I know those are longshot odds.

 

[rockaction]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

I think it was very much baked in, which is why I was thrilled to get him with the 6.03 in our IDP draft.

I was mostly referring to NFL draft capital, but going that late definitely made it easier to acquire him at more of a value in FF drafts.

Oh yeah, I knew you meant NFL. I was just sharing an anecdotal data point.

 

[Football Jones]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

I think it was very much baked in, which is why I was thrilled to get him with the 6.03 in our IDP draft.

I was mostly referring to NFL draft capital, but going that late definitely made it easier to acquire him at more of a value in FF drafts.

Oh yeah, I knew you meant NFL. I was just sharing an anecdotal data point.

Gotcha.

 

[Don Quixote]

Got him with a really late pick and was excited to do so. I really like his profile with a caveat that he’s older so waiting around to win a job is not really an option. Wheels up?

I'm not sure how much draft capital being rule ineligible cost JCM, but it could've been a significant amount.

I figured he'd go higher after dominating in the East-West Shrine Bowl, but the lack of tape this year really hurt him.

I think it was very much baked in, which is why I was thrilled to get him with the 6.03 in our IDP draft. He played one game at U of Arizona and then was yanked off of the field. Then he had no combine but was able to test electronically at the Big 12 Pro Day and shone like I expected. I think highly of him.

I had no picks going into my draft and traded a very questionable (maybe never to return) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for a 6.03 and 6.12 just to draft Croskey-Merritt and then the underrated Orande Gadsden who has talent, ample opportunity, and genetic bloodlines in the NFL.

While I’m riffing, time will tell if I majorly messed up, but Cleveland was talking about JOK having success if he was walking and then had no contact with him while he pushes clean water products for Africa (not kidding about that—he is Afrocentric in ways that are deep and outward, so they’ve sort of lost touch with him).

I think a good pick there. I had him on my college fantasy team and thought he was great when out there. Going to a good offense too, with players ahead of him not really doing anything extraordinary.

I drafted Hunter a few picks after you — probably would have gone with JCM if he was still out there. I picked JCM at 6.03 in ZF Superflex. But in the 6th round, I’m usually just hoping to hit somebody who won’t be automatic cut by next RFA.

I didn’t know you’d picked Hunter. He was getting a lot of buzz in the fantasy world in the run-up but I had honestly done my draft work before he was a riser (I think) so I’m not all-too familiar. I will say I’m not sold on Kyren or Corum so who knows? Maybe he makes the team and surprises.

You’re dead right about hoping they just make the team or get assigned to the practice squad. I have loftier hopes for Jacory, but I know those are longshot odds.

I think Hunter can carve out a bit of a role (another one that I had on my college fantasy team, so I guess I did some scouting that way). I think Kyren and Corum are a bit too similar, and Jacquez could find some work as a change of pace, with Corum’s role more there if Kyren gets hurt. But that’s just my stab in the dark.