Steelers take big, athletic tight end Darnell Washington with 3rd-round pick
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The Pittsburgh Steelers began their draft taking an offensive tackle.
They ended Day 2 with a player who looks – and plays – like one.
“He’s a huge human being,” offensive coordinator Matt Canada said of third-round pick Darnell Washington of Georgia.
Taken 93rd overall, Washington is a tight end – but at 6-foot-7, 264 pounds, he’s said some teams have inquired about perhaps potentially playing tackle. And that’s a compliment to Washington in regards to his blocking.
He might be this draft’s best blocker as a tight end.
“It’s all over the tape,” Canada said. “He’s a giant human being who takes pride in blocking and takes joy in being a blocker.”
Washington had to in college because while playing for the back-to-back College Football Playoff national champions the past two seasons he was overshadowed in regards to the receiving game.
Playing in a position room that included the Mackey Award winner as the nation’s best tight end (Brock Bowers), Washington had 45 career catches for 774 yards and three touchdowns in 36 games for the Bulldogs.
But Georgia had a bevy of stars on offense (including the Steelers’ second-round pick last year, wide receiver George Pickens), so Washington wasn’t needed to contribute by catching passes. But he was a five-star recruit three years ago, so the pedigree is there.
“His pass-catching total might not be as impressive as some,” Canada said, “but he does make plays.
“He can be a weapon in different parts of the field, for sure.”
Washington joins a Steelers passing attack that includes wide receivers Pickens, Diontae Johnson and newly-acquired Allen Robinson, as well as running back Najee Harris. The tight ends position room includes blossoming star Pat Freiermuth, another large blocking specialist in Zach Gentry and a player who flashed potential as a rookie last season in Connor Heyward.
“I already know the Steelers have a great tight end room with a great, great, crazy-great tight end in Pat (Freiermuth),” Washington said.
The NFL’s official draft profile of Washington projected him as a first-round pick, but the Steelers were able to get him with their fourth selection of the draft and third of Friday night – and even after trading down in the third round.
About an hour before taking Washington, the Steelers moved down 13 picks to that slot and picked up a fourth-rounder from the Carolina Panthers in the process.
Part of why Washington slipped might have been medical concerns about a knee injury.
“No team wanted to take a risk on me, a great player, but Pittsburgh,” Washington said. “And that’s exactly what they got – a great player.”
Washington was one of 30 official draft visitors the Steelers hosted in the weeks leading up to the draft. That led him to believe he might end up in Pittsburgh.
“I had a special connection when I was there,” Washington said.
“I just had a connection with almost everybody in the building.”
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