The Washington Monument -Darnell Washington, Georgia

First Round Mock’s William Yanish has studied Georgia’s unique tight-end (TE) Darnell Washington, and has come away with some interesting observations.

When I start hearing about possible first-round tight-end prospects, my ears perk up.

In the football world, it doesn’t seem like an exact science when it comes to selecting a TE. The number that actually become players at the NFL level is fairly low. General Managers either don’t value the position like others, or they feel they can dig up a diamond from deep in the draft.

Now this is something you don’t see everyday.

Okay, all humor aside, while he’s not quite as big as the “Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man,” Washington is big.

How big is he?

6-foot-7, 270 pounds

Washington is a former football and basketball star at Pine Ridge High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. From there, he was a five-star recruit when he committed to the Bulldogs.

While never putting up much for stats, 45 receptions 774 yards 3 touchdowns, that’s still a 17.2 yard reception average.

It’s important to note, he did have the John Mackey Award winning (Most outstanding TE in college football) Brock Bowers, as a teammate.

What does the game film say about #0?

Washington is a devastating blocker.

He’s able to crush pretty much anyone on the football field in blocking situations.

This Georgia big man additionally has extremely strong hands. He can pull like a guard leading with a massive head of steam to open gaping holes in the run game.

As a receiver, he’s able to box out defenders for short to intermediate range passes. The routes he ran were surprising for someone his size.

Despite being a tad slow (40-yard-dash reported time: 4.75), he can pick up yardage after the catch.

Flat out – – Washington runs like a tank. I’ve never seen a tight-end hit people the way he does.

What I learned

I feel that Washington has reached his ceiling.

Sure, as a starter he will see more opportunities. It is also possible that he will end up in the same role as he was in at Georgia.

As much as I’d like to slap a first-round grade on him, it’s taken some thought. He’s a good player and will have some impact in this league, but I’ve got questions.

My BIG Three Questions?

1. Will he take a starting role by the reins and attack?
2. Already fighting lower body injuries, can he stay healthy with his style of play?
3. Can he prove himself by evolving at the next level?

How Washington stacks up and game film reviewed

Draft Grade: First-Round (late)

Pro comparison: Former New England Patriots’ TE Martellus Bennett

Game film reviewed:

Auburn ’21

Kentucky ’21

Mississippi State ’22

Florida ’22

William Yanish III is a life long football fan. He’s from the little town of Crawford, Colorado. Along the way, he’s lived in Dutch Harbor, Alaska and Brookings, Oregon. Quarterback Joe Montana was his idol growing up. A little bit of CTE from life’s adventures killed his dreams as a football player. Now, he is an aspiring writer and Draft Analyst at FirstRoundMock.com. He’s a fanatic with a dream, which is coming true.