Commander WR Luke McCaffrey on the verge of a breakout

Wide receiver Luke McCaffrey was one of the more obscure members of the Washington Commanders' 2024 NFL Draft. The final third-round pick in April's draft was overshadowed by quarterback Jayden Daniels, cornerback Mike Sainristil and others.

McCaffrey is used to being in the shadows. Luke McCaffrey, the son of former NFL wide receiver Ed and the younger brother of 49ers running back Christian, played quarterback at Nebraska and Rice before switching to wide receiver for his final two college seasons.

McCaffrey quickly developed into a true wide receiver prospect, catching 71 passes for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns. This offseason, McCaffrey and Daniels were often the first players to arrive at the Commanders' Ashburn headquarters for offseason training, impressing teammates and coaches.

McCaffrey was quiet in the preseason, but former NFL scout and Senior Bowl executive Jim Nagy called McCaffrey “this year's Puka Nacua.”

Through five games, McCaffrey has yet to have such a breakthrough, but he has thrown 10 balls for 98 yards and has been open often in every Washington game, which could mean a breakthrough is on the way.

McCaffrey regularly ranks among the NFL's best at generating separation each week, which is impressive considering he's a rookie with just two years of experience as a wide receiver.

While we wait for McCaffrey's breakthrough in terms of numbers, he's making an impression. He is one of several players who have embraced Washington's team-first mindset.

Check out McCaffey in this block:

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If you think this was an isolated incident, think again. There are such plays all over McCaffrey's film this season.

If you go back and look at Washington's Week 5 win over Cleveland, you'll see that McCaffrey is left open a lot. Daniels has already found McCaffrey in some crucial moments over the last five weeks. Once the two are in complete agreement – and that time will come – McCaffrey will reward general manager Adam Peters' faith in him and become the Commanders' undisputed No. 2 receiver alongside Terry McLaurin.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey is on the verge of a breakout