KC Chiefs 2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Virginia WR Malik Washington
The 2024 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the Kansas City Chiefs are seeking yet another quality haul from general manager Brett Veach.
In recent seasons, Veach and his staff have used the draft to bring in cost-controlled young talents to insulate a championship roster. The results speak for themselves, although windows can close quickly. Kansas City hopes that a good 2024 rookie class joining one of football's younger teams can keep the franchise in top competitive form.
With the draft on the horizon, Arrowhead Report is taking a look at prospects who could hear their names called in late April. Up next is Virginia wide receiver Malik Washington.
Background
- Height: 5084
- Weight: 191
- Age at draft: 23
- Relative Athletic Score: 8.50
- 2023: 110 receptions, 1,426 yards and 9 touchdowns
- Played four seasons at Northwestern, one at Virginia
Where Washington creates advantages
Washington is one of the best players in this class when it comes to forcing missed tackles or simply breaking them himself. He's a truly brilliant threat after the catch due to his blend of toughness, initial burst and vision in all areas. That toughness shows up as a blocker, even with his frame not being the biggest. Washington maintains excellent contact balance and body control.
As far as operating out of the slot is concerned, that's Washington's bread and butter. He should be able to do that early in his NFL career while thriving on designed plays and the new-age "gadget" concepts that offenses are leaning into. His competitive drive is great; he flashes the ability to track passes and go after them. Washington's 4.47-second 40-yard dash and 42.5" vertical jump further display his athletic prowess. The Virginia product added kick returns to his arsenal in his final collegiate season.
Where Washington could be at a disadvantage
Washington doesn't do well against press coverage, which is partially due to his lack of length. He will be confined to the slot in the NFL because of it. That also limits his catch radius — his occasional extensions for the ball aren't enough to outweigh that. He won't go above the rim too often moving forward.
While a good athlete, Washington's fluidity in his hips is far from elite. For a compact player who will play more of a niche role, that margin makes a difference. Washington is an older prospect who didn't break out until the very end of his college career. Despite that extensive experience, he still has a lot of work to do from a route-running standpoint. The tree isn't very diverse, so he'll need to showcase some growth to get more put on his plate. Washington simply doesn't do much damage as a three-level receiver at this point. A large chunk of his targets come within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.
The verdict
This year's wide receiver class has a fit for just about every NFL team. While some clubs are looking for their game-breaking threats of the future, others simply need one element such as speed, size, upside, floor or yards-after-catch ability. Throughout the first several rounds, there will be plenty of that littered throughout the draft board.
Washington, if implemented correctly, could be a dangerous weapon at the next level. If an innovative system can unleash him on short-area routes from the slot, he'll break off chunk gains and help move the chains. When factoring in his potential with pre-snap motion and special teams versatility, there's plenty to like with his prospect profile.
The Chiefs may not have a pressing need for a player like Washington, but they'd surely benefit from adding him into the fold. He projects more as a late Day Two or very early Day Three pick, which would leave little pressure for the rookie to make a massive difference out of the gate. Washington would be a nice complementary piece and help occupy some of the YAC-centric opportunities Rashee Rice got in 2023. Overlap, similar to a prospect like Malachi Corley, is a valid concern. But if there was ever a head coach to find ways to optimize him, it's Andy Reid.
