Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson recently expressed his excitement over his team’s draft selections.
An NFL vet and former LSU Tiger, Peterson was especially thrilled about the addition of former Georgia tight end Darnell Washington.
Washington, who stands at 6 feet, 7 inches and weighs 270 pounds, was ranked 38th in Mel Kiper’s pre-draft prospect rankings, but fell to the Steelers at the 93rd overall pick in the third round.
Peterson believes Washington was the “steal of the draft” and has the potential to become an integral part of the Steelers’ offensive lineup.
“To me, I thought that was the steal of the draft,” Peterson said on the “All Things Covered” podcast.
Washington’s blocking prowess is one of the reasons the Steelers jumped at the chance to add him to their offense. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised Washington’s mindset:
“I think the awesome thing about him besides his measurables is his mindset,” Tomlin said. “Here’s a guy that I think maybe has ‘sixth offensive lineman’ on his license plate. He embraces the things that come with being who he is, and knowledge of self and embracing that I think is one of the things that made him attractive, besides the unique physical traits and the things that he’s been able to accomplish. The mindset, the willingness, too, is equally exciting.”
Washington might not come in and have a Rookie of the Year season, but he’s a guy who should make a big difference based off his size and athletic ability alone. He’s a blocker, but Georgia fans know he can catch anything thrown his way and pick up yards after the catch. His NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds read plus-10,000, per FanDuel.
A former five-star prospect out of Las Vegas, Nevada, Washington came to Georgia as a member of the class of 2020. He ranked as the No. 23 overall player coming out of high school.
He clocked a 4.64 40-yard dash (sixth among tight ends) with a 4.08 20-yard shuttle…
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