Finding Broncos: Scouting TCU S Ar'Darius Washington
Welcome to Finding Broncos, our annual prospect-by-prospect series deep-diving on the coming NFL draft class. The scouting continues with TCU safety Ar'Darius Washington, a talented prospect, but does he fit with the Broncos?
Measurables
- Height: 5 foot 8
- Weight: 185 pounds
Stats
Sports-Reference.com
Pros
- There is a high football IQ with Washington and he always finds himself in the proper position.
- He was asked to do a lot on defense and is really a defensive weapon with his versatility.
- Has scheme and role versatility.
- Has good range which is highlighted even more by his instincts and football IQ.
- There are good ball skills with smooth natural hands and he is always attacking the catch point when in a position to do so.
- Smooth in his transitions and change of direction.
- Has the speed and movement to attack outside runs or even come on a delayed blitz.
- A great athlete that really carries him a long way.
- Very loose in his lower half which helps his smooth transitions.
- Is an excellent option to be used on special teams.
Cons
- There needs to be more consistency with his technique and attitude when coming to tackle.
- When a ball-carrier brings power into contact, Washington often gets knocked back.
- While he can play in man coverage, he is noticeably weaker there than zone.
- Needs to learn more technique, but has a good base already.
- Can get punished in man by physical receivers or tight ends and when he is caught on a block, that does it for him.
Overview
Ar’Darius Washington is a menace on the field that causes all kinds of problems for opposing offenses with his range and football IQ. He is rarely out of position and that tends to see him making a play on the ball.
There is a lack of size with Washington and at times that really shows up when coming to make a tackle. Despite that, he still flies around and doesn’t back down when it comes to being physical and will put his all into contact.
Fit with Broncos
Washington would be an interesting fit with the Broncos because he is a good fit in the scheme and can really bring a lot to the table that Denver can use.
The issue is the lack of size and consistency as a tackler, which is something that Vic Fangio values. It could be a case of where they value what he brings to offset the issues as a tackler and still look his way.
This is a team that needs to really better their safety depth and even find a potential starter and Washington can fit in that way. He has the versatility that Fangio likes, but it comes down to if they will overlook the tackling inconsistency or even believe if they can fix it.
Grade: Round 3
Where he goes: Round 3
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