Washington Commanders pick Jordan Magee of Dover in 2024 NFL draft

Jordan Magee will now see if the varied athletic skills that characterized his prolific Dover High athletic career can help get him on the field in the NFL.

The 2019 Dover grad and Temple University University standout linebacker was chosen by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round with the 139th overall pick in the NFL draft Saturday.

Magee had surgery after suffering a torn biceps in a November game but was cleared in time for the combine, where he had the highest athleticism score among linebackers. This included running a 4.55 in the 40-yard dash.

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That should increase Magee’s NFL opportunities to earn playing time on special teams plus defensive duty. In its predraft analysis, ESPN had referred to Magee as "a rangy run defender with a good motor, but he's also an instinctive pass-rusher who times his blitzes and closes well."

The 6-foot-1, 228-pound Magee earned special teams playing time as a Temple freshman in 2019 and reserve linebacker duty in 2020, a season that didn’t count against player eligibility due to COVID-19.

He then became a starter in 2022 and finished his five-year career having played in 44 games with 235 tackles, including 31 for lost yardage, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

Magee was Temple’s tackles leader the last two seasons, including being third in the American Athletic Conference with 7.89 per game last year and earning second-team all-league honors.

Magee excelled at quarterback and safety for Dover, where he was first-team All-Henlopen North and second-team All-State as a senior for a Dover team that reached the state Division I semifinals.

He also starred in basketball and, as a senior, joined the track and field team for the first time since middle school. He placed third in the shot put and fourth in the high jump at the state indoor meet. Outdoors, he was second in both events at the DIAA Division I meet.

"He's an old-school football player," former Dover head coach Rudy Simonetti told Delaware Online/The News Journal earlier this year. "He exemplified what a leader looks like. That's why we wanted him to play quarterback because we needed someone to be the face of the program and lead the guys.

"As a quarterback, he was a Cam Newton-type. He could throw and he wouldn't shy away from contact. And on defense, he would hit you, and you'd feel it."

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.