Darnell Washington Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Tony Walsh/University of Georgia)

School: Georgia (Junior)

Position: TE

HT: 6’7

WT: 265 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #29

Darnell Washington was a 5-star recruit out of Las Vegas, Nevada and drew plenty of interest from the SEC schools. Ultimately, he chose to play for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs, becoming a part of a loaded Tight End room. I know there have been multiple players who I have called freaks of nature, but Darnell Washington is at the top of that list by a country mile. While on the rare occasion we see 6’7 tight ends, you have never seen a build like Washington’s. Washington measured in at the combine with 34 3/8 inch arms, incredibly long with a large catch radius. I cannot imagine that he has more than 4% body fat, all 265 pounds are straight muscle. Washington was a defensive end as well as a tight end in high school and I believe this helps him with both the physical and mental sides of the game. He has a dog mentality and plays with a level of physicality that is hard to match, while his history as a defensive end helps him understand what the edge rushers that he is blocking are thinking. With his frame, it is not a surprise that Washington’s greatest strength is his blocking ability, both in the run game and after the catch. Not only does Washington have the build to be an effective blocker, but his technique is also extremely refined. He has good bend in his knee and gets low while using his leverage to get up on the defender’s pads consistently. His hands are extremely powerful once they make contact with the defender and he rarely requires help on a blocking assignment. While he does line up in the slot on occasion, Washington should be thought of as an extra lineman on every down who is also eligible to run a route down field. His pass catching abilities are adequate but you haven’t seen the amount of volume and production from him that you would like to see. I do not think that is strictly Washington’s fault as he was apart of one of the greatest tight end rooms in college football history during his time with Georgia. When given the opportunity, he was able to make the plays that his team needed.

The main concerns that have come with Darnell Washington is the lack of experience, exposure, and versatility. We did not really get to see Darnell Washington as a primary tight end in his offense. This leaves a level of mystery, while also leaving Washington a bit more raw. Lastly, Georgia used Washington in a very specific role as a block-first tight end, it’ll be interesting to see how NFL offenses think to use the big body tight end.

Overall, at the very least, Darnell Washington will be useful as an extra lineman in 12 personnel. However, he can reach his ceiling by becoming a well-rounded pass catcher who can be a main weapon in an offense.

Scheme Fit: Zone Rushing Offense

Ideal Role: In-line TE

Best Team Fits: GB, NYG, CIN

Player Comparison: Mercedes Lewis

Player Grade: 83.2