The Washington Commanders have added depth to their wide receiver room by signing Michael Gallup. Here are five things to know about the veteran wideout.
1. He had to prove himself at the junior college level.
Gallup was a talented athlete coming out of Monroe High School in Georgia. He earned 16 varsity letters playing football, basketball and baseball and participating on the school's track and field team. That kind of athleticism normally draws attention from Division I schools -- he got offers from Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina State and others -- but low SAT scores led to him enrolling at Butler Community College so he could prove himself.
It only took two seasons playing at the NJCAA level for him to stand out. He recorded 780 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns as a freshman, leading the Jayhawk Conference in yards per catch. The following year, he had 74 yards and a touchdown in four games before suffering an ankle injury.
Gallup ended his time at Butler and received offers from New Mexico, UNLV and South Alabama but committed to Colorado State.
2. He was one of the best receivers in program history at Colorado State.
Like his community college career, it didn't take long for Gallup to make an impact for Colorado State. He was placed into the starting lineup in his first season with the program and named First Team All-Mountain West for making 76 catches for 1,272 yards and 14 touchdowns, all three of which led the team. His 14 scores led the conference and ranked second in school history.
It was the start of a strong college career for Gallup, as he went on to become one of the best receivers in the country. He was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation's best receiver, for grabbing 100 catches -- a school record -- for 1,413 yards and seven touchdowns. He was the fourth consensus All-American in program history and helped Colorado State earn an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl against Marshall.
In just two seasons, Gallup had made his way to the top of Colorado State's record book. He finished his career ranked fifth in receptions, sixth in receiving yards and tied for second in receiving touchdowns. He's the only player in team history with four games with at least 11 receptions and three games with at least 200 receiving yards.
3. He was one of Dak Prescott's favorite targets.
Gallup was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 81st overall pick of the 2018 draft to provide Dak Prescott with more weapons early in his career. It was a role that Gallup easily filled, and the two developed a strong rapport over the next six seasons.
Gallup put up modest numbers as a rookie with 507 yards and two touchdowns on 33 receptions. However, the next two seasons were the most successful of his career, as he had back-to-back 100-target campaigns with 1,107 yards and six touchdowns in 2019. During that span, Gallup trailed only Amari Cooper in target volume from Prescott.
The reason behind Prescott's level of trust in Gallup was that the wideout knew how to make plays with the ball in his hands. Nearly one-third of his career yardage has come after the catch, and he was the best pass-catcher on the team at breaking tackles early in his career with 14 in his first two seasons.
The Commanders, who are in need of depth at receiver and have a quarterback who knows how to create opportunities for his wideouts, are hoping Gallup can recapture some of that skill set in 2025.
4. He wants to be part of what the Commanders are building.
Gallup could have stayed in retirement but felt as if there was still "a lot of meat on that bone" for his NFL career at 29 years old. He chose to reignite his career with the Commanders because he believes in what the franchise established last season, and he wants to be part of it.
"I want to be a part of the game," Gallup said. "I don't necessarily gotta be the top wide receiver on the team, but I want to be a part of it."
While Gallup doesn't know many players on the Commanders' roster personally, he did watch as the team he played against for six seasons turned into one of the best squads in the league under head coach Dan Quinn. They improved to a 12-5 record and advanced to the NFC Championship with quarterback Jayden Daniels at quarterback, providing a level of confidence in the franchise that has not been experienced in decades.
Gallup's career would indicate that he has something to offer to Washington's offense, despite not catching a pass since Jan. 7, 2024. He recorded 34 receptions for 418 yards during the 2023 season, which would have ranked fifth on last year's team.
Gallup said he is rested and ready to prove himself.
"I'm gonna bring that fire. I'm gonna bring that energy and bring that juice. If you need something, I'm gonna go get it for you."
5. He wants to help Jayden Daniels grow in his second season.
Add Gallup to the long list of players and coaches who are impressed with Daniels.
"The way he can throw that ball, the way he's reading defenses, all the decisions that he makes, it's uncanny," Gallup said.
Daniels was the chief catalyst for the Commanders' success in 2024 and had one of the best rookie seasons in league history. The fact that he's already playing at such a high level has several players interested in offering their services to help him as he progresses in his career, as many of them want to be part of the success he will bring to Washington in the future.
As good as Daniels was, Gallup believes the quarterback "has so much room to grow." Regression is a common occurrence in the NFL, even for the best players, but the Commanders have tried to surround Daniels with talent and protection, like wideout Deebo Samuel and left tackle Laremy Tunsil, to make sure his skill set continues to ascend.
There's no guarantee that Gallup will make the Commanders' roster in 2025, but if he can prove he still has something to contribute, he could be part of the plan to help Daniels elevate the offense. The two have already connected over FaceTime so can get started establishing their chemistry as soon as possible.
"I just wanna get behind that train," Gallup said. "Just be a reliable target for him, because I know he's gonna work. I know he's gonna be here early...so I just gotta make sure I'm on my Ps and Qs to help him out."
