In the third round of April's NFL Draft, the Commanders invested in a wide receiver they hope will become a go-to target for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Washington brought in WR Luke McCaffrey, who's now part of a receiver room that includes names like veteran Terry McLaurin and former Texans receiver Noah Brown.
With the McCaffrey last name, some fans have questioned whether Luke is related to 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey, one of the NFL's best offensive weapons.
The Sporting News has you covered on the relationship between Luke McCaffrey and the San Francisco running back, as well as the details to know on the Washington receiver's stats and time in college.
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Is Luke McCaffrey related to Christian McCaffrey?
Luke McCaffrey is the youngest brother of the McCaffrey family, which includes Max, Christian and Dylan McCaffrey.
Their father, Ed McCaffrey, was a wide receiver in the NFL who played for the Giants, 49ers and Broncos. He was a three-time Super Bowl champion and retired in 2004 after a leg injury.
Football runs in the family for the McCaffreys. The oldest McCaffrey brother, Max, played wide receiver at Duke, had time with some NFL teams' practice squads and is now an offensive assistant for the Dolphins. Christian McCaffrey is one of the league's best running backs and led the NFL in rushing yards last season. Finally, Dylan McCaffrey played quarterback at Michigan and Northern Colorado in college.
The athletic ability in the family doesn't end there, as Lisa McCaffrey, Ed's wife, was a track runner and played soccer at Stanford University.
Luke was following in the footsteps of his father and brothers in his football path but is currently looking to establish his own presence in the NFL as a young wide receiver for Washington.
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Luke McCaffrey Commanders stats
Through the Commanders' first two games of the season, the rookie McCaffrey has three receptions for 18 yards, which all came in Week 1 vs. Tampa Bay.
Daniels, known for his elite rushing ability, hasn't yet shown consistency with his passing in the NFL, so Washington's wide receivers haven't had much production as a unit. Brown is the Commanders' leading wide receiver through two weeks with 56 yards. Both RB Austin Ekeler and TE Zach Ertz rank ahead of Brown in receiving yards.
As both Daniels and McCaffrey adjust to the NFL, the connection between the two should grow. After spending a third-round pick on him, Washington is hopeful that McCaffrey can become a consistent presence in its receiving room.
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Where did Luke McCaffrey go to college?
Luke McCaffrey spent his first two collegiate seasons at Nebraska but later transferred to Rice.
He was originally a quarterback, as both of his years with the Cornhuskers and one with the Owls were spent passing the ball. However, in 2022, McCaffrey transitioned to wide receiver, still managing to become an NFL prospect despite his late start at the position.
Here's a look at McCaffrey's receiving stats while at Rice, which begins in 2022 after he made the positional change:
| Year | Games | Receptions | Rec. yards | AVG | TDs |
| 2022 | 11 | 58 | 723 | 12.5 | 6 |
| 2023 | 13 | 71 | 992 | 14.0 | 13 |
