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Penn State

Jahan Dotson shows rookie contract signed with Commanders

nate-mug-10.12.14by: Nate Bauer05/18/22NateBauerBWI
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Jahan Dotson has reportedly signed his rookie contract with the Washington Commanders. (Steve Manuel/BWI)

Penn State football’s first-round NFL Draft pick has signed his rookie contract. Receiver Jahan Dotson, taken with the 16th overall pick by the Washington Commanders, revealed the news via Instagram.

The team has not yet announced the signing nor the terms of the deal. However, according to Washington Post reporter Nicki Jhabvala, Dotson’s deal is “worth roughly $15.05M.”

Evaluating the deal on the rookie contract sliding scale, former agent Joel Corry of CBS Sports shows a chart that offers a clearer picture of what Dotson’s first-round slot might look like. That would likely include a first-year salary of just under $2.9m, with a signing bonus just under $9m.

Dotson is Penn State’s highest-drafted NFL prospect since Micah Parsons went 12th overall in the 2021 draft to the Dallas Cowboys.

Jahan Dotson’s first impressions at rookie minicamp

The early news out of Dotson’s first NFL minicamp had little to do with his on-field performance. Rather, he left on the second day of the camp at the behest of head coach Ron Rivera. As a result, Dotson’s attendance at his Saturday graduation from Penn State took center stage.

However, even before he headed back to State College, Dotson appeared to fit the bill for his first-round status. Per NBC Washington:

“Jahan Dotson can be described in many words, and almost all of them point to him being an early contributor in the regular season. The rookie receiver is smooth, polished and agile, but there’s definitely explosiveness to his game, too. His sticky hands were also immediately apparent, especially during a route-running portion of practice where he speared a Sam Howell pass on a hitch just after turning around. Overall, Dotson already looks prepared to mix it up with the veterans at OTAs and training camp.”

And, from Sports Illustrated:

“While eyes were certainly turned to first-round draft pick wide receiver Jahan Dotson, there were just as many looking to see quarterback Sam Howell in action for the first time as a member of the Commanders. 

“To their credit, both looked comfortable and demonstrated the athletic and football-specific skills necessary to be successful in the NFL. 

“Of course, it came in shorts and helmets with no pads and no contact allowed. So, a big grain of salt is added to all of these observations.”

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