TE, Georgia
Height: 6’7″
Weight: 270 lbs
Class: Junior
Washington was a standout high school athlete in Nevada. He played football and basketball, whilst also featuring as sprinter, high jumper, and long jumper. He chose football over basketball and was rated as a five-star athlete and the No. 23 overall prospect in the 2020 recruiting class. Washington earned 35 offers, committing to Georgia over the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, and Clemson.
He earned playing time as a true freshman, starting seven games for the Bulldogs and hauling in seven catches for 166 yards. He played in 11 games during the 2021 season as Georgia won their first national title since 1980. Washington’s breakout season came in 2022, catching 28 passes for 454 yards on his way to Second Team All-SEC honours.
You can read more of my 2023 NFL Draft content here.
Strengths
The first thing you will notice about Washington is his rare size profile. Standing at 6’7″ and 270 lbs he almost looks more like an offensive lineman than a tight end. His height ranks in the 95th percentile amongst prospects at the position and his weight puts him 94th. This imposing size makes him tough to cover for even the biggest linebackers and he has the huge catch radius required to catch almost anything thrown in his general direction.
Washington’s size comes with the kind of strength you would expect. He is one of the most physically imposing players you will find at the position. Nowhere is this more evident than as a blocker. Washington is effectively a sixth offensive lineman when asked to block inline. He has tremendous power and torque to steer defenders and create wide open running lanes for his backs. He also shown the ability to hold his own one-on-one as a pass blocker against defensive linemen.
Washington’s blocking ability also shone through when used as a lead blocker. Georgia would routinely ask him to climb to the second level in front of screens and he was hugely effective at doing so. He has sufficient quickness to climb and locate defenders in space. Once he gets his hands on them he is able to sustain and finish his blocks. Washington genuinely had more pancake blocks on his tape than some offensive linemen.
He is more than just a bruiser though. Washington is a deceptively good mover for his size, with enough long strider speed to threaten defenses up the seam and on full speed routes. Whilst he didn’t get many opportunities to shine as a receiver, he took advantage when he did. He showed that he can be a big play threat, averaging a hugely impressive 17.2 yards per reception throughout his career. His combination of size and speed also makes him tough to contain after the catch, where he forced 14 missed tackles on 45 receptions.
Weaknesses
Whilst Washington’s size works in his favour as a blocker, it does work against him as a receiver. He lacks the fluidity you want from a modern tight end and his route breaks are generally slow and sluggish. This limits his ability to consistently create separation at the top of his routes, something that will only become more of an issue against NFL athletes.
The other issue will be his limited experience as a receiver. Washington spent three years as a starter at Georgia but caught just 45 passes in his 35 games. He exceeded 50 yards in a game just four times and had just three touchdowns during his career. Opportunities for involvement were no doubt limited by virtue of playing alongside All-American tight end Brock Bowers, but it nonetheless represents a concern.
Bottom Line
Washington is a man-mountain and one of the best blockers you will ever find at the position. He remains something of a projection when it comes to his receiving ability, though he has sufficient athleticism to be develop into a good NFL starter.
Ideal role: Inline tight end in a run-heavy offense
Round projection: 2nd round
