B/R Scouting Dept NFL Comparison - Darnell Washington

[*ochocincos*]

Bleacher Report took a stab at trying to come up with comparisons for some NFL Draft Prospects, and here's what they came up with for the Georgia TE.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10070870-pro-player-comparisons-for-notable-2023-nfl-draft-prospects

Quote:Big Board Rank: No. 24 overall (No. 2 tight end)

Pro Player Comparison: Athletic Marcedes Lewis

What comparisons can you make for a 6'7", 264-pound tight end with elite athleticism?

Washington is a fairly unique prospect in that there aren't many tight ends who could become legitimate weapons in the passing game but could also probably put on 30 pounds and become an elite offensive tackle.

Derrik Klassen didn't attempt to come up with a direct player comparison, putting an "athletic" Marcedes Lewis comp to Washington.

It's high praise and a revealing look into his vast potential. Lewis has carved out a 17-year career in the league because of his blocking ability. In his prime, he was a decent receiving option, his best season as a receiver included 58 receptions for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2010.

Now consider that Washington could be every bit as good a blocker as Lewis and has the athleticism to develop into an even better receiver.

Lewis's relative athletic score ranked 58th out of all tight end prospects from 1987 to 2006, per Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network. Washington ranks 11th among all tight end prospects from 1987 to 2023.

The sky is the limit for Washington.

They really couldn't come up with a super-close comparison, so they felt Washington could be a great blocker like Marcedes Lewis, but even more athletic. As they noted, Lewis had put up some good receiving seasons 2009-2012 with JAX (550 yards average), but he wasn't near the athlete Washington is. They really think Washington's ceiling as a pass catcher could be (vastly) higher than Lewis, potentially putting him consistently in the 700+ yard range if he lives up to his potential.