Darnell Washington 2023 NFL Draft

Darnell Washington 2023 NFL Draft

This 2023 NFL Draft scouting report on Darnell Washington was completed by Justin Caballero of Digging in the Trenches. Make sure to check out all of the 2023 NFL Draft content on the site. Also, have some mock drafts for the Miami Dolphins on here!

2023 NFL Draft: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

Darnell Washington, Georgia, 2023 NFL Draft

Rating scale: 1 Poor 10 Elite COD: Change of direction

Caballero describes Darnell Washington as a giant of a man. Washington could step in on day one and contribute to the blocking aspect. Tight ends take longer to develop than some other positions usually but blocking wise this prospect is ready. “Darnell does not have elite speed or great wiggle but overall he is very athletic,” said Caballero.

Some teams might be turned off by the fact Washington was primarily used as a blocker at Georgia. But, that would be a mistake since this prospect has the skill set to be a receiving threat as well. When this tight end is on the field it is like having an extra tackle. He might not burn by defenders in the passing game but his size in tandem with some jumping ability will create opportunities as a target.

Washington’s lack of speed and agility is overcome by his brute strength. He was able to manhandle opponents at times as a blocker as well as a receiver. Strong hands help his game as he can snatch the ball away at the high point when there is a 50/50 ball thrown his way. Darnell has great contact balance when taking on defenders as a blocker. Defenders will have a long day trying to move this huge TE off his spot. Washington excels as both a run blocker and in his pass protection pickups.

A team that wants a TE to act as a blocker early on in his NFL career with lots of upside potential might want to put Wahington high on their draft board. This is one of those prospects that might have a better pro career than his college career.

By the Numbers

Receiving & Rushing Table
						Receiving				Rushing				Scrimmage
Year	School	Conf	Class	Pos	G	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	TD	Plays	Yds	Avg	TD
*2020	Georgia	SEC	FR	TE	4	7	166	23.7	0	0	0		0	7	166	23.7	0
*2021	Georgia	SEC	SO	TE	8	10	154	15.4	1	0	0		0	10	154	15.4	1
*2022	Georgia	SEC	SR	TE	15	28	454	16.2	2	0	0		0	28	454	16.2	2
Career	Georgia					45	774	17.2	3	0	0		0	45	774	17.2	3

Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 4/22/2023.

The Prospect Sheet

Darnell Washington attended Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was recruited by several major universities across the country. Powerhouses such as Georgia, Auburn, LSU, and Alabama as well as many others had an interest in this highly touted recruit. He chose Georgia and helped Georgia win some titles.

Overall, Caballero feels that Washington will be a long-time contributor to any team. His upside potential is that of a star NFL player.

Draft Projection: 2nd round with the potential to be a 1st round pick.