What Washington fans need to know about 6th-round NFL Draft pick Chris Rodriguez
The Washington Commanders selected Kentucky running back Chris Rodriguez with the 193rd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Saturday.
Commanders fans, here is what you need to know about the sixth-round pick.
How Chris Rodriguez played at Kentucky
Rodriguez left Kentucky ranked third on the program’s all-time rushing yards list (3,643). If not for a four-game suspension to start the 2022 season, he likely would have broken Benny Snell’s career rushing yards record.
Across five seasons, Rodriguez averaged 6.2 yards per carry with 33 rushing touchdowns. He broke the program record with 20 career 100-yard games. The McDonough, Georgia, native built his reputation around a bone-crushing rushing style, bursting through tackles and rarely going down on the first hit.
Speed is not considered a strength of Rodriguez’s game, but he ran a faster-than-expected unofficial 4.52-second 40-yard dash at Kentucky’s pro day.
Rodriguez’s best season came in 2021 when he ranked second in the Southeastern Conference in rushing yards (1,379).
What Kentucky coaches said about Chris Rodriguez
“He’s going to be a very good NFL running back. It’s nice because I know a lot of scouts and people that come through here, and you’re able to give everyone a real, honest opinion about how special a kid he is, too. He’s a really talented player, but he’s going to be great in an organization because he’s such a good guy. He’s got competitive greatness, and it’s important to him. I trust him completely. It’s the individual and the talent that makes him so special.” — Former offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello
Why Chris Rodriguez was suspended
Rodriguez entered his final season at Kentucky uncertain when or if he would be allowed to play again. UK coaches would not comment on the issue affecting Rodriguez’s status but did eventually confirm there was an investigation into his eligibility.
The Lexington Herald-Leader later reported a university investigation had revealed multiple football players had been paid for hours not worked in patient transport jobs at the school’s hospital. Multiple players were suspended, and the hospital administrator who oversaw the jobs was fired. Kentucky self-reported the rules violation to the NCAA.
Rodriguez, who has not commented publicly on the suspension, was reinstated to the team after being held out of the first four games of the 2022 season.
Chris Rodriguez is honoring his mother’s memory
Following the death of Rodriguez’s mother, Stephanie Thornton, in January, Rodriguez dedicated much of his predraft workout process to his mother’s memory. Thornton died after a long battle with lupus, and Rodriguez solicited donations for each rep he completed on the bench press at the NFL combine to go toward lupus research.
“My mom kind of kept me sane, I like to say,” Rodriguez said after Kentucky’s pro day. “When I was having a bad day, I’d call her. When I was going through something, I didn’t know how all this stuff was going to go, she would tell me, ‘Be yourself, you’re there for a reason. I trust in you, so who cares what anybody else says?’
“For me, it was hard. Especially when I first got back to training I was in a mood. I figured I didn’t have my person to call, but I’ve got a lot of friends, I’ve got a lot of family especially who I can call on, who I can talk to if I am feeling sad. … I think about her every day. It takes a toll on me, but I’ve got friends and family to talk to.”
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