The Los Angeles Rams will enter the 2023 NFL draft with a variety of needs, including at the tight end position. Tyler Higbee is in the final year of his contract and he could even be a cap casualty later this offseason if the Rams want to free up more cap space.
The Rams recently acquired Hunter Long in the Jalen Ramsey trade, but that shouldn’t deter them from adding another tight end to the roster this offseason. Long has caught just one pass in his first two seasons in the NFL, so it remains to be seen what his role looks like in Los Angeles.
Considering the team’s need at the tight end position, we’ll be taking a look at Darnell Washington out of Georgia.
Background
Washington was a two-sport athlete at Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, Nevada, playing football and basketball. The five-star recruit out of high school elected to attend Georgia, where he would combine for 38 receptions, 604 receiving yards, and three touchdowns in his final two seasons en route to the Bulldogs winning back-to-back National Championships.
At the NFL scouting combine, Washington measured in at a whopping 6-foot-7, 264 pounds. Despite his uncanny size, Washington produced a 4.64 40-yard dash (6th among TEs) and a 1.57 10-yard split (tied for 2nd among TEs).
How he fits the Rams
In his final two seasons at Georgia, Washington played behind Brock Bowers, a coveted prospect likely to enter the 2024 NFL draft. Even though Washington didn’t get consistent usage in the passing game, he’s a talented receiver that can create yards after the catch with his size.
Besides being a threat after the catch, Washington is a fantastic red-zone threat with a high ceiling as a run blocker at the next level. The Rams could use a versatile tight end like Washington, especially with Sean McVay wanting to see an improvement in the running game in 2023.
Draft projection
After a strong showing at the combine, Washington’s draft stock has gone up. Most mock drafts have the Georgia prospect going in the second round, while some have him sneaking into the first round.
The Rams possess the 36th overall pick in the second round, so they’d need him to slip into the second round to have a chance to select him. Even with the Rams now having 11 total picks in this year’s draft, it’s unlikely they’d trade into the first round to select a tight end.
