The Georgia Bulldogs lost another member from their national championship team on Thursday as tight end Darnell Washington declared for the 2023 NFL Draft.
The talented 6-7 junior announced his decision on social media.
https://twitter.com/_Dwfootball11/status/1613637637457465344
“I would like to start by thanking God for blessing me with the opportunity to do what I love, for guiding me throughout my football journey and allowing all of these opportunities to open up for me,” Washington said, before going on to thank his family, coaches and support staff at Georgia as well as “Dawg Nation” fans.
Washington arrived at Georgia as a five-star recruit, but a broken foot as a sophomore derailed his career. He caught 28 passes for 454 yards and two touchdowns as a junior playing behind star tight end Brock Bowers. (As if that isn’t yet more proof of the ridiculous depth of this Bulldogs team, that a backup tight end is declaring for the NFL Draft.)
Given his size and athleticism, Washington could be a diamond in the rough for an NFL team. He is generally ranked as one of the top three or four tight ends on the board by scouting services and projects as a second- or third-round pick.
FantasyPros.com likes Washington’s potential: “Has a ton of potential because of his frame and his surprising athleticism … whoever drafts him is going to have to be patient, working with him to clean up his technique as a blocker and diversifying his route tree in the passing game.”
“Looked like more of a mid-rounder on tape but appears destined to go considerably higher.”
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.