River Cracraft Bio
River Cracraft (born November 1, 1994) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and weighing 198 pounds, he wears jersey number 84. Cracraft played college football for the Washington State Cougars and signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2017 after going unselected in the 2017 NFL draft.
Over the course of his NFL career, Cracraft has been a member of the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, and Washington Commanders. Through the 2025 season, his career totals include 32 receptions for 374 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns.
Early Life and Background
River Cracraft was born on November 1, 1994, in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. He was originally named Tanner Cracraft, but his name was changed to River when he was six months old. He grew up in nearby Trabuco Canyon and attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School, where he played football, baseball, and ran track.
As a high school football player, Cracraft was a four-year letter winner who played both wide receiver and defensive back. He was named All-State and All-Trinity League in his sophomore season after recording 35 receptions for 469 yards on offense while making 41 tackles with three interceptions on defense. As a senior, he caught 56 passes for 935 yards and 10 touchdowns and was named first-team All-County by the Orange County Register and the Trinity League Offensive Player of the Year. He finished second in school history with 134 career receptions and third with 2,043 receiving yards.
Cracraft was rated a three-star prospect by several major recruiting services and the number 91 overall prospect in California by ESPN.com. He committed to play college football at Washington State over offers from Nevada and UNLV.
Path to Professional Football
Cracraft played four seasons for the Washington State Cougars from 2013 to 2016. He appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman, starting 10 and recording 46 receptions for 614 yards and three touchdowns, earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference and honorable mention All-Freshman Team honors from College Football News. As a sophomore, he caught 66 passes for 771 yards and eight touchdowns despite missing three games with a stress fracture in his foot, including a career-high 172 yards and three touchdowns on 11 receptions in a 60-59 loss to California.
Cracraft entered his junior season on the 2015 Fred Biletnikoff Award watchlist but missed three games with a stress fracture in his other foot, finishing with 53 receptions for 615 yards and four touchdowns. In his senior season, he recorded 53 receptions, 701 receiving yards, and five touchdowns before tearing his ACL in the tenth game. He finished his college career with 218 receptions, 2,701 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns in 42 games, ranking second in school history in receptions behind teammate Gabe Marks.
River Cracraft Career
Denver Broncos (2017-2019)
Unable to participate in the pre-draft process due to his knee injury, Cracraft was not initially signed as an undrafted free agent. After a tryout with the New England Patriots, he was signed to the Denver Broncos’ practice squad on October 17, 2017, but was released three days later after sustaining an injury. He was re-signed to the practice squad in December 2017 and signed a futures contract at the end of the season.
Cracraft made his NFL debut on November 4, 2018, in a 19-17 loss to the Houston Texans, returning a punt for five yards. He caught his first career pass, a 44-yard reception, on December 30 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He finished his first active season with one reception for 44 yards, 12 punt returns for 40 yards, and three kickoff returns for 43 yards in eight games played. In 2019, Cracraft was waived by the Broncos in early September after making the initial roster out of training camp, re-signed, and then waived again later in the month.
Philadelphia Eagles (2019-2020)
On December 24, 2019, Cracraft was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Eagles on January 6, 2020, but was waived on April 30. Following his release, Cracraft had a tryout with the Arizona Cardinals on August 14, 2020.
San Francisco 49ers (2020-2021)
Cracraft was signed by the San Francisco 49ers on August 27, 2020, and was waived and re-signed to the practice squad within days. He was elevated to the active roster for Weeks 8 and 9 against the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, then promoted to the active roster on November 9. He finished the 2020 season with six receptions for 41 yards, five punt returns for 40 yards, and three tackles on special teams.
On February 22, 2021, Cracraft signed a one-year contract extension with the 49ers. He was waived in late August, re-signed, waived again, and then signed to the practice squad before being promoted to the active roster on December 11. He was waived by San Francisco on January 29, 2022.
Miami Dolphins (2022-2024)
Cracraft signed with the Miami Dolphins on February 17, 2022, and was elevated to the active roster for the season opener. In Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, he caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa, his first career score, helping spark the Dolphins’ 21-point comeback in a 42-38 victory. In Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, Cracraft caught an 11-yard touchdown pass, helping Miami go 3-0 for the first time since 2018. He was signed to the active roster on September 29.
He re-signed with the Dolphins on March 17, 2023, and was placed on injured reserve on September 29 before being activated on November 14. Cracraft re-signed again on March 21, 2024, was placed on injured reserve on August 27, and activated on November 11.
Seattle Seahawks (2025)
On March 21, 2025, Cracraft was signed by the Seattle Seahawks. He was waived by the team on May 12, 2025.
Washington Commanders (2025-Present)
On August 14, 2025, Cracraft signed with the Washington Commanders. He was released on August 26 due to roster cuts, re-signed to the practice squad on November 11, and waived on December 9. The Commanders re-signed him to the practice squad on December 16, 2025, and elevated him to the active roster for the final two games of the 2025 season before reverting him to the practice squad on January 5, 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cracraft has built his career on special teams reliability and the ability to step into an offense as a depth receiver. His first two career touchdowns came on short passes from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in high-leverage comeback moments with the Miami Dolphins, demonstrating dependable hands in critical situations. He has shown versatility by contributing as a punt and kickoff returner throughout his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Cracraft’s career came in Week 2 of the 2022 season, when his first career touchdown helped the Dolphins erase a 21-point deficit in a 42-38 win over the Baltimore Ravens. He added another score the following week against the Buffalo Bills, helping Miami start 3-0 for the first time since 2018.
River Cracraft Career Wins
As a wide receiver and special teams contributor, Cracraft’s career highlights center on individual milestones and team comebacks rather than championship wins. His three career receiving touchdowns all came during the 2022 season with the Miami Dolphins, where he played a key role in one of the most memorable regular-season stretches in recent franchise history.
NFL Career Highlights
Cracraft’s first career reception was a 44-yard catch for the Denver Broncos in the 2018 season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. His first career touchdown came on a two-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa in the Dolphins’ Week 2 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens in 2022. He finished the 2020 season with the San Francisco 49ers having recorded six receptions for 41 yards in an elevated role.
Other Performances
At Washington State, Cracraft ranked second in school history with 218 career receptions and sixth with 2,701 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. He set a school record with 14 receptions in a single game during the 2014 season against Stanford, a mark that was later broken.
River Cracraft Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
River Cracraft’s older brother, Skyler, walked on to the Washington State Cougars as a safety after River committed to the team, despite not having played organized football since high school. Both of his parents are named Tracy, and his father played baseball at Taft College.
Personal Life
Cracraft married his college sweetheart, Taylor, in Newport Beach, California, on July 1, 2022. The couple had a daughter in June 2024.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a year of transition for River Cracraft. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in March but was waived in May before landing with the Washington Commanders in August. After a brief release during roster cuts, he returned to the Commanders’ practice squad in November and finished the year on the active roster after being elevated for the final two games of the season.
Cracraft’s role with the Commanders centered on special teams and depth at wide receiver. His journeyman path through six NFL organizations since 2017 underscores the perseverance required to maintain a professional football career as an undrafted player.
Looking ahead, Cracraft remains under contract with the Washington Commanders and continues to compete for a roster spot heading into the 2026 offseason. His experience on special teams and his history of producing in clutch moments with the Dolphins position him as a candidate to compete for a depth role on offense and on coverage units in the coming year.