The Washington Commanders had a failure of a season across the board in 2025, but the key to their offensive issues, aside from quarterback Jayden Daniels’ frequent injuries, was their nonexistent running game. Fan favorite 2025 seventh-round pick Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a lot of hype, but Washington is still going into next season with the intention of upgrading the room.

They did just that on Saturday, adding Penn State running back Kaytron Allen with the 187th pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Commanders have a lot of shifty players in their backfield already, so Allen’s hard-nosed rushing style should add a nice balance to the running back room.

The former Nittany Lions rusher had a historic career at Penn State, becoming the school’s all-time rushing yards leader, with 4,180, and finishing third in all-time rushing touchdowns. The only players who ran for more touchdowns were Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley and Allen’s old teammate, Nicholas Singleton, who was taken in fifth round by the Tennessee Titans earlier today.

Allen is a physical runner who could instantly become a staple in Washington’s backfield.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Commanders take Penn State RB Kaytron Allen in 6th round of NFL draft