Take one look at Darnell Washington and you’re not sure if you’re looking at an NFL tight end or an NBA small forward. It’s not just fans who have to wonder. So do his teammates. Speaking with reporters after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ preseason finale win over the Atlanta Falcons, Robinson joked about who they compare Washington to. It sure isn’t other NFL tight ends.
“He’s a big dude. We compare him to LeBron and Shaq,” he told reporters via a team-provided transcript. “We can only compare him to basketball players. His size and versatility, those are the kind of things you see on the court.”
Washington was a freak player coming out of Georgia. His size is obvious. 6065, 272 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms, length that nearly matches his Bulldogs’ (and now Steelers’) teammate OT Broderick Jones. But he matched that with off-the-charts athleticism, a 4.64 40 and 10’2” broad jump capable of making catches like this.
Washington may not fully play to those metrics, he can be an awkward-mover, but his freak ability still flashes. It did throughout training camp, getting more involved in the passing game as the summer went on. He skied over safety Miles Killebrew for a leaping touchdown in seven shots during one practice. And he made a similar grab to that Combine one-hander in one of the final days, showcasing his range and massive radius.
More than a box-you-out receiver, Washington is a prideful blocker asked to do that the majority of the time in Georgia’s pro-style attack that had TE Brock Bowers, a top 2024 prospect, dominating targets. While Washington needs refinement as a blocker, his size and strength can overwhelm. That was shown in this finale against Atlanta, burying the linebacker on this Connor Heyward run.
Blocker. Receiver. NBA player. Washington is a body type and skillset the Steelers haven’t had in…maybe ever. Pat Freiermuth doesn’t have his size or blocking potential. Heath Miller was of course the better player but not the physical freak like Washington. The closest Steelers’ comparison to Washington might be Eric Green, who was arguably a better on-tape athlete and receiver and not quite the blocker. But that’s the last “freak” tight end the franchise has had, making Washington an exciting addition to an offense teeming with talent.
