Rice’s Luke McCaffrey selected by Commanders in NFL Draft

By Andersen Pickard     5/4/24 2:36pm

The Washington Commanders selected Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey with the 100th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

McCaffrey was the final pick in the third round, as well as the final pick on the second day of the draft. He’ll compete for a prominent role in the wide receiver room, potentially slotting in as their starting slot receiver alongside Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.

“I’m incredibly excited to see Luke come off the board in the third round,” Bloomgren said in a statement via Rice Football. “After his great contributions to Rice University on and off the field these last three years, it is awesome to see his childhood dream of being an NFL draft pick become reality. I believe he is the steal of the draft.”

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The selection was made by Adam Peters, who was named general manager of the Commanders in January 2024. Peters was also part of the San Francisco 49ers front office that acquired Luke’s brother, Christian, from the Carolina Panthers in 2022. Prior to his time with the 49ers, Peters spent eight years with the Denver Broncos. Luke’s father, Ed, had previously been a star wide receiver for the Broncos, winning three Super Bowls, being selected to one Pro Bowl, and earning a spot on the Broncos’ 50th Anniversary Team.

Christian had texted Peters, encouraging him to select his younger brother. 

“He told me I should pick you,” Peters told Luke. “So I listened to him. We’re going to make you a Commander.”

“I haven’t heard anything but good things about [Peters],” McCaffrey said during a media appearance after being drafted. “It’s such an exciting time for him and everybody in the building because everybody’s so eager and ready to learn, build something, and create a culture of competition. I’m so excited to be a part of that.”

McCaffrey is the first Owl to be selected in the NFL Draft since 2015, when the Houston Texans selected defensive tackle Christian Covington with the 216th overall pick.

A transfer from the University of Nebraska, McCaffrey spent three years at Rice. He converted from quarterback to wide receiver and ultimately contributed 1,980 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns over his final two seasons on South Main. 

“I’m excited to get there every day and learn and see what my ceiling is,” McCaffrey said. “I’m new to this, I’m still learning the position. I’ve been lucky enough to get to this point, but this is by no means where I want to end my journey.”

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