Player: Darnell Washington 

School: Georgia

Measurables:

• Height: 6’7”
• Weight: 270
• 40:
• Bench:
• Vertical Jump:
• Broad Jump:
• 3 Cone:
• 20 Yard Shuttle:
• Other Notes:

Graded Tight End Traits:

• Athleticism: 7/10 (If this was just meaning straight line athleticism it would be higher. But, when moving side to side he gets super stiff and awkward, almost like an offensive lineman. We suspect this will show at the combine in different drills)
• Durability: 5/10 (Underwent foot surgery last year and missed multiple games. Had multiple lower body injuries that nagged him throughout this season including an ankle. For his size this is concerning. He also
• Hands: 6/10 (Makes some incredible catches and has oven mitts for hands. But has to refine his catching form as he tries to almost trap the ball with his hands coming together instead of the diamond 
• RAC Ability: 7/10 ( We do not see him breaking off super long gains with his speed and no elusiveness to speak of but he will barrel through you or jump over you. There was more than one highlight of him bulldozing his way through defenders and also hurdling them)
• Run Blocking: 8/10 (He can be a devastating blocker at the next level especially leading a rusher. However, there are things he needs to work on. Firstly, his size causes him to lean over at times when blocking small opponents and lead with his head. This is problematic. Next, he gets beat too often by faster defenders. Edge rushers beat him inside with a quick step and defensive backs and linebackers go around him at times. Even with these things he is elite and could become the best blocking tight end in football with some more refinement)
• Route Running: 5/10 (His athleticism should allow him to get better the more he learns but route now his route running is very basic. There are times when he looks stuff and times when he shows very good subtleness in his routes)
• Speed: 7/10 ( It is definitely more long speed than short area quickness but when he gets going he shows some very good speed)
• Strength: 10/10 ( Freakish. Expect to see highlights of him throwing corners or pass rushers around like rag dolls)

Prospect Grade: 55/80; 69% (Borderline Pro Bowl Potential) 

*Contains massive upside that needs a lot of development to reach

Projected Draft Day:Early 2 

Player Comparison: Jelani Woods 

Player Summary:

Let us start by saying that Darnell Washington would be on the list of most potential in this class. The sky’s the limit for him. His size and speed and athleticism could easily make him the biggest mismatch in all of football. Unfortunately because Georgia has Brock Bowers, Washington was not featured as much in the passing game so he is missing some key development that he needs from reps and experience. His route running and hands both need improvement which there is no reason to suspect they will not. However wile he works on route running, good luck to anyone trying to cover him in the red zone. His lack of refinement in these areas as well as some blocking aspects causes some risk factor as well as the lower body injuries. That being said, his strength and blocking are elite as it stands and if the technical skills can get honed in to match the physical gifts he could be the second coming of Gronkowski. For now we comp him to Jelani Woods, another freak athlete at tight end who needed technical refinement to match physical gifts whom we also had a high grade on. Washington is a better blocker than Woods was out of Virginia, but Woods will probably have tested better than Washington may at the combine.