NFL Draft Prospect Spotlight: Ar’Darius Washington
We recently went over cornerback Elijah Molden of the University of Washington, whose draft stock could be impacted due to his lack of size.
Well, Molden isn’t the only defensive back in this draft whose quality of play in college could be overshadowed by his measurable qualities.
That player would be TCU safety Ar’Darius Washington.
At only 5-8 and 178 pounds, Washington might not even be considered too small by certain teams due to even be a starting safety.
However, that would be a disservice to the quality of play he put up for the Horned Frogs in his three seasons.
Washington formed a great backline for TCU’s spilled-safety-based defense along with potential first-round pick Trevon Moehrig.
As only a redshirt freshman in 2019, Washington recorded five interceptions and was Big-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.
Washington was so good that Pro Football Focus ranked him as the second-best safety in college football in 2019. He didn’t record an interception in 2020, but his play was still strong enough for PFF to grade him 68th out of 366 eligible safeties.
Watching Washington play, size doesn’t seem to play much of a factor. He’s a capable athlete for his size and has been lauded for his ability to see the game and know where to best disrupt the offense.
Washington also is agile enough to cover the slot and has an edge to him when he goes in to make a tackle.
The size issues are still there, though, and it probably will be the biggest talking point with Washington.
When it comes to all of his other qualities though, he’s more than worthy of getting a look as early as the second round.
For a team like the Las Vegas Raiders looking for defensive playmakers, Washington could represent a great value.
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