🏈 🔵 Breaking Down My Interview With Jahan Dotson
I sat down with Washington Commanders' wide receiver Jahan Dotson during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas. Here were my top takeaways on the star pass catcher's approach, preparation, and mentality.
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My Top Three Takeaways From Interviewing Jahan Dotson
Hey friends,
In just two years in the NFL, Washington Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson has quickly emerged as one of the league’s most explosive outside weapons.
As a rookie, Dotson hauled in 35 catches for 523 yards, averaging 14.9 yards per reception.
Dotson’s total yardage dropped slightly during his second campaign in the nation’s capital, but he posted 14 more receptions in 2023 as a do-it-all offensive ace for his young quarterback Sam Howell.
Before excelling at the NFL ranks, Dotson headlined Penn State’s receiving core for the better part of four seasons.
Through the highs and the lows, Dotson pointed to three key elements that made him one of the most successful pass catchers to ever rep the blue and white:
Be the ultimate teammate, embrace college football’s modern landscape through safe NIL opportunities, and improve through a consistency-based approach.
Let’s dive into my conversation with Dotson, and what stood out to me throughout our interview during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas.
Be The Ultimate Teammate
During Dotson’s illustrious four-year career in Happy Valley, the Pennsylvania product quickly became one of the Nittany Lions’ most prolific pass catchers in school history.
He made 38 career starts in 42 total matchups played, nabbed 183 receptions for 2,757 yards 25 scores, and accumulated a measly 3.5% drop rate over 288 targets.
Dotson hauled in 11 receptions for 242 yards against Maryland as a senior to reset the Penn State single-game receiving yardage record. He also accounted for three touchdowns throughout the outing.
Through all of Dotson’s on-field success, his best memories from Penn State come off the field by fostering memories with his teammates.
“I had so many great moments at Penn State, but I feel like the moments that I’ll never forget are the moments I shared with my brothers,” Dotson told me. “Not even on the football field, I feel like every part of the day, we were always in packs. We traveled in packs together, and you don’t get those times back… You create lifelong relationships with those guys, and it was awesome.”
For three of Dotson’s campaigns donning the blue and white, the burner caught most of his targets by way of current Green Bay Packers’ gunslinger Sean Clifford.
Despite facing droves of public criticism and backlash, Clifford rewrote Penn State’s history books as a passer. He left campus as the program’s leader in wins (32), completion percentage (61.4%), total yards (11,734), passing yards (10,661), and passing touchdowns (86).
Through thick and thin, Dotson believed in Clifford’s ability to will his squad to victory, emphasizing trust and confidence across all facets of the locker room.
“[Clifford] was one of those guys you wanted to play for, you wanted to play with, because he’s one of the guys who will fight to the very end,” Dotson said. “He went through so much. While I was there at Penn State, with him going through injuries, I think he broke his ribs playing against the No. 2 team in the country, [and he] came right back out… Like that’s a guy you just want to play for.”
Embrace Expansive NIL Opportunities
During Dotson’s senior year, the NCAA laid out its initial framework policy for legal NIL inducements through player-driven marketing, advertising, and charitable partnerships.
As a preseason All-Big Ten commodity, Dotson knew he had to maximize his popularity after leading the conference in regular-season receiving yards during the league’s COVID-19 hindered slate.
In 2020, Dotson caught 52 passes for 884 yards, averaging 17 yards per reception. Less than a full year later, he began making thousands of dollars for appearances alone.
“It was kind of crazy because it seemed like everyone was trying to throw money at you,” Dotson recalled on his first NIL experience. “It was the first time ever in my life I’ve seen people trying to offer money in that way.”
Without firm rules and regulations in place, Dotson knew it was his duty to seek out safe and legal avenues that could enhance his personal brand, Penn State’s image, and his future NFL Draft stock.
“It was so new that there weren’t really any rules on it,” he said. “I remember we would go to car dealerships, and just for an appearance, we got like $5,000. Everyone was getting a new car. But, there weren’t really any rules.”
Three years later, NIL still resides as a component of the sport that mimics the Wild Wild West. Dotson urges younger athletes to be careful but to expand their worth through every safe outlet possible.
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Improvement Is Built On Consistency
Sophomore slumps are real in the NFL.
Most players who piece together solid rookie campaigns are often plagued with regression in year two in an attempt to carve out larger roles at their position.
For Dotson, however, the second-year weapon caught 14 more passes with the Washington Commanders in 2023 compared to his rookie output.
Although his average yards per reception dropped slightly, he still averaged a first-down gain each time he touched the rock.
I asked Dotson how he avoided pitfalls typically faced by NFL receivers from year to year. He reiterated that a consistent mindset can help wither away doubt and help adhere to expectations.
“My mindset going into every year is just trying to be better than I was the last year [through] improvement and consistency,” Dotson said. “I just want to stay consistent for my team, make sure I’m making plays that I need to make, and making the plays that I should be making every single time I get my opportunity.”
This year, Dotson will work under the tutelage of offensive mastermind Kliff Kingsbury, who’s set to take over as the Commander’s play-caller.
As the former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, Kingsbury posted an 11-6 record during his first year in the role. His offense that season ranked top 10 in total yardage, touchdowns scored, and passing production.
With Kingsbury’s West Coast, air-raid emphasis, Dotson is excited to see how his consistent approach can pay off for his squad in its new system.
“He just hit me up a few days ago when he got hired,” Dotson said on Kingsbury. “… I was super excited. That was someone who I really looked forward to in the process when [the Commanders] were interviewing guys, and I’m really happy we got him.”
To watch my entire interview with Dotson, click here.
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Shoutout to Connor Krause for helping to write this newsletter and putting it together!
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