Darnell Washington: Boom or Bust?

Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Dylan Stamper. Follow him on Twitter @King_Stamper

Many Steelers fans are currently looking at the draft recap and asking themselves “Did we really need another tight end?” - considering we already have three talented young options. The core last year that held down the position included Pat Freiermuth, Zach Gentry, and then rookie Connor Heyward. Freiermuth will not let go of that starting position as long as he’s in black and gold. He’s a reliable option that can give you splash plays in big moments, keeping drives alive. Even though it seems as if the Steelers have all the bells and whistles to continue to develop that group, they felt there was room for another explosive feature to the crew. That is none other than former Georgia Bulldog, Darnell Washington.

This is a very intriguing pick. Washington is a 6’7”, 264-pound superhuman when compared to your typical tight end in this league. He has great size for a dominant run blocking tight end but can also be a dangerous feature in the passing game. The 21-year-old finished with 28 receptions, 454 yards, and 2 touchdowns in his final season as a Bulldog. 

The mismatches with his size going up against some of these smaller safeties and corners is going to be a huge problem for defensive coordinators. A surprising upside that comes along with Darnell is his insane speed. He shocked everyone running a 4.64 40 yd dash at the NFL Combine. 

With all of that considered, word on the street is that the Steelers want to slowly integrate him into the offense this season, but they aren’t giving him a “redshirt” year, as it’s important to develop chemistry with this young core around him.

There are some things he can improve upon. His route running tends to be a bit shaky at times. The Steelers also have a wealth of passing game options, so will it make the pick useful in the long run for the team? Could the pick have been used filling in an important spot on the defense, or continuing to build the Pickett Fence? Washington could possibly become the right-hand man behind Freiermuth if he can find a way to make an impact during the chances he gets on the field this season. You aren't always going to be a stud in the NFL right off the bat. Becoming a bust is very likely for players that get drafted into jammed positions with too much talent before they get to the team. Could that happen here? Darnell is walking into a very versatile tight end group that was used in many different ways in Matt Canada’s offense. We can’t all suddenly forget about Heyward and the role he played down the stretch.

Losing faith in Washington’s ability to have chances to grow in such a stacked offense can lead to a bust-like mentality. He seems like a guy that knows his strengths and weaknesses and can stay in control of using them with his determination to be a better football player. Steelers fans should be very excited for the explosive plays, a big body target, YAC, and his blocking ability to help the team get back to the old style run game. Even if it doesn't happen in year one, or EVEN year two.

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The anticipation for the guy is huge, but will he live up to the hype?