With final roster cutdowns fast approaching, the Commanders have a healthy problem in terms of roster construction. Many positions, especially on offense, appear to be fiercely competitive in terms of depth—most notably at tight end, wide receiver, and running back.

This competition became even more intriguing after last Friday’s preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. Undrafted free agent Robert Henry Jr. made a name for himself, carrying the ball 12 times for 75 yards, including an impressive 22-yard house call.

With running back Jeremy McNichols sidelined with a quad strain, Henry has seized the extra reps and opened a legitimate window to crack this 2026 Commanders roster.

Let’s take a look at where he came from and what his path to the roster looks like.

Henry is a 5-foot-9, 196-pound runner out of Lumberton, Mississippi, whose path to NFL training camp was a long one. In high school, where he played for Lumberton High School, he put up astronomical numbers—racking up over 7,000 rushing yards and 99 touchdowns while earning back-to-back Mississippi Class 1A "Mr. Football" honors.

Despite that eye-popping high school production, he was an unrated recruit and decided to continue his football career at Jones College at the junior college level. After a brief transition as a freshman, he absolutely popped as a sophomore in 2022: running for 1,302 yards and 18 TDs on 5.5 yards per carry while adding 19 receptions for 128 yards. This national acclaim allowed him to capture the inaugural Walter Jones Trophy as the top JUCO player in the nation.

As a junior, he transferred to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where he played three seasons for the Roadrunners. Over his three-year career in San Antonio, he totaled 2,339 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns on 408 carries. He put an exclamation point on his college resume in 2025, rushing for 1,045 yards and nine touchdowns on just 151 carries. Averaging an eye-popping 6.9 yards per carry, he earned First-Team All-AAC honors and a spot as a Doak Walker Award semifinalist, awarded annually to the nation's premier running back.

However, playing at a small program poses pre-draft challenges, and he wasn’t heavily pursued during the draft process. He did attend the 2026 NFL Combine, where he put up a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and logged a 7.47 Relative Athletic Score (RAS).

He went undrafted in April and soon after joined the Commanders as an undrafted free agent.

Throughout the offseason, there were whispers of Robert Henry potentially being a dark horse to watch in the running back room. Last Friday against the Dolphins was his coming-out party.

Henry capitalized on his expanded reps against Miami, delivering the offense’s signature highlight of the night. On a crucial second-quarter drive, Henry anticipated a reach block from rookie offensive lineman Matt Gulbin, hit the lane with decisive burst, and showcased his breakaway speed down the sideline for a 22-yard touchdown. 

Beyond the explosive touchdown run, Henry displayed toughness and vision. Despite his sub-200-pound frame, he showed solid pass protection and displayed a great blend of vision, contact balance, and short-area quickness. He was arguably the most impressive player on the field on offense.

For an undrafted free agent fighting for one of the final spots on the 53-man roster, special teams value is paramount. Henry showed promising flashes in that phase during his NFL debut against Miami.

He provided an impressive kickoff return, bursting past the 30-yard line before a holding penalty brought it back. His skill as an open-field runner could be an asset and increase his likelihood of making the team. Henry handled kickoff returns in high school, but UTSA rarely used him there because he was their feature back.

In David Blough’s offensive system—which emphasizes a zone-run scheme and slashing ability—Henry presents an intriguing skill set behind starters Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White, and power back Kaytron Allen.

Henry Jr. is an intriguing option as a depth piece and practice squad candidate. But can he be more? He displayed patience and poise in his NFL debut, allowing his blocks to materialize before making sharp lateral jump cuts to explode through the hole.

At UTSA, Henry averaged over 4.2 yards after contact per carry and forced 37 missed tackles in his final season. His size is definitely a question at 5’9” and 196 pounds, but it may be an interesting weapon if he can adapt to the NFL. Austin Ekeler had a similar build and did just fine for many years.

Although he wasn’t a pure receiving back in college, he was effective. He caught 58 passes on 70 targets and was a reliable safety valve in the Roadrunners' offense.

He surely has a case. An NFL team has 16 practice squad slots, and Henry could be a prime candidate to stash and monitor over a 17-game season. I can see him in a similar role to Croskey-Merritt, serving as a reliable depth option if injuries strike.

He may be able to broaden his case for making the team by having a strong performance in the remaining preseason action against the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens.

Can he continue to make chunk plays? Can he display himself as a strong receiving back and special teams weapon? If he does, he will make a compelling case to make the 53-man roster, or at the very least, earn a protected spot on the practice squad with an eye toward playing time during the season.