Steelers TE Darnell Washington reveals most 'underrated' attribute
It is still a shock that TE Darnell Washington fell to the Steelers at pick No. 93 in the 2023 NFL Draft. Washington has a ton of upside, but he revealed the most "underrated" part of his game: his receiving chops.
"I feel like I have a full route tree. At Georgia, I ran a lot of different routes in practice. If I had made a practice highlight tape, it would look like I had 2,000 yards," Washington said. "I could have taken the easy way out to get more production, but I wanted to be around the best."
Deciding to stay at Georgia instead of transferring says a lot about Washington and just further proves Pittsburgh got a steal.
One scout even told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Washington's fall was "laughable" and that "he will play a long time."
He has already been "turning heads" at practice and QB Kenny Pickett said in a recent interview that Washington has been playing "really" well.
The 6-foot-7, 270-pound tight end may be a little bit of a project, but he can serve as an extra offensive lineman in the meantime.
The Steelers are clearly trying to get back to playing "bully ball" and Washington will likely play a big part of that in 2023.
More must-reads:
- Which NFL rookies will be difference-makers next season?
- Super Bowl champion coach shares advice for young QBs after Shedeur Sanders' draft slide
- Legendary Hall of Fame athletes who only played for one franchise
- The best selection each NFL team made in the 2025 draft
- Packers Discussing Reconciliation With CB Jaire Alexander To Keep Him In 2025