Checking in at 6-foot-7, 270 pounds, former Georgia tight end Darnell Washington is seemingly a one-of-one player entering the NFL.
Washington’s calling card, outside of his freakish size, is his work as a blocker. He’s like a sixth offensive lineman when on the field but calling him a sixth offensive lineman undersells his abilities as a receiver.
He had one of the top workouts in recent memory for his position at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Already a talented prospect with great tape, Washington had one of the best days in Combine history, a 9.90 RAS score that’s 11th-best among TEs since 1987.
Those testing numbers combined with his impressive size had the Pittsburgh Steelers all over him in the 2023 NFL Draft, landing him at No. 93 overall in the third round following a surprising slide down the board due to a medical concern with his knee.
Appearing on SiriusXM’s Movin’ The Chains Wednesday with hosts Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan, Steelers GM Omar Khan praised the Georgia product, stating that his size, speed and strength combination is something you just don’t see often at the tight end position. Miller compared him to his former Steelers teammate, tight end Eric Green.
“Six [foot] seven and change and can move; it’s impressive,” Khan said to Miller and Kirwan, according to audio via SiriusXM.com. “I don’t know, you don’t come across that very often. He’s exciting to have. He’s gonna help us with his blocking, not only his ability help us in the pass game, but he’s gonna help us in the run game, too.
“Obviously he has some experience playing next to Broderick [Jones], which is a plus. Those guys know how to talk to each other in game. And that’ll be good for us.”
Washington’s size and athleticism is rather impressive, as is his tape. He’s a certified bully in the run game, serving as that extra offensive lineman for the Bulldogs throughout their run to a second-straight national championship last season under head coach Kirby Smart. He simply dominates on the edge in the run game and really displaces defenders with ease.
Not only that, he’s a matchup nightmare in the passing game due to his size and athleticism. The RAS score is quite impressive in and of itself and matches up with the tape Washington put out during his time at Georgia. He’s going to help the Steelers in the passing game out of 12 personnel with tight end Pat Freiermuth and is really going to make an impact in the run game, much like Khan pointed out.
You don’t see Washington’s size, speed and strength very often in a tight end, but the Steelers are going to get a good look at it moving forward. We’ll see if he can deliver on the promise, but the upside and excitement regarding the third-round tight end is high.
