20/20: James Washington

Bruce Matson Posted On February 27, 2018

Welcome to the 20/20 series. As part of our continued Dynasty Scouts coverage and in preparation for the NFL Combine, we will be profiling 20 of the top incoming rookies of the class of 2018 by giving you 20 facts you must know.

1.) Player name – James Washington

2.) College – Oklahoma State

3.) Height/Weight – 6’0’’, 205 lbs

4.) Birth date – 4/2/1996

5.) Class – Senior

6.) Basic college stats – 2014: 28 receptions for 456 yards and one touchdown. 2015: 53 receptions for 1,087 yards and ten touchdowns. 2016: 71 receptions for 1,380 yards and ten touchdowns. 2017: 74 receptions for 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns.

7.) NFL Draft round projection – Even though many consider him one of the best wide receivers in this year’s draft, there’s a very good chance he falls to the second round. However, if there’s a run on wide receivers in the first round like last year, then he could sneak his way into the back half of it.

8.) Current NFL comparison – It’s hard to not think of Golden Tate when watching Washington on film. Both players have a similar build and are physical runners after the catch. They have a running back’s mentality when they get the ball in open space because they’re not afraid to get physical to pick up extra yardage. Tate is a little bit taller and a tad heavier but both players have similar builds which aids their ability to be more assertive after the catch. Like Washington, Tate was also a tremendous deep threat, posting a career 17.2 yards per reception.

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9.) Best possible destination – The Dallas Cowboys might be the best possible fit for him because his skill sets are exactly what the team currently needs. They need a wide receiver who can take the top off the defense with their speed. By Dallas utilizing Washington as their deep threat, the old timers – Jason Witten and Dez Bryant – will have the added room to run underneath routes. Washington’s big-play ability was something the Cowboys’ offense lacked in 2017. His ability to stretch the field will add another dynamic to the team’s play calling.

Once Jerry Jones takes Old Yeller behind the woodshed (Dez Bryant), Washington’s role in the offense would eventually shift. He would then need to run more underneath routes to compensate for Bryant’s departure. Long-term, there would be plenty of opportunities for Washington to expand his role on the team as the players around him slowly fade away. As long as he consistently develops, he would be a key staple to Dallas’ offense for a very long time.

10.) Worst possible destination – Cincinnati might become a graveyard for talented wide receiver prospects. They drafted John Ross with the ninth overall pick and then turned around and scooped up Josh Malone in the fourth-round last year. They drafted Tyler Boyd with their second-round pick the previous year and Cody Core who was a highly athletic prospect with their sixth-round selection. Don’t forget the ageless A.J. Green is still on the roster, and it appears he’s not going to relinquish his spot on the roster anytime soon.

I would like to say there’s a zero percent chance that he lands in Cincinnati, but at the end of the day, they’re still the Bengals.

11.) Best current skill – Being able to track the ball while it’s in the air and make the catch while running in stride is his best attribute. This allows him to convert over-the-shoulder catches downfield like a center-fielder. There are a lot of teams in the NFL that need a wide receiver who can stretch the field. And that’s something Washington can do on a consistent basis.

12.) Skill that needs to be improved – For him to become a WR1 at the NFL level, he will need to improve on his route running. Like most wide receiver prospects, he doesn’t run a full route tree yet. He also needs to increase his urgency when it comes to getting in and out of his breaks.

13.) Past/current rookie ADP – With an ADP of 7.50, Washington is currently the third wide receiver off the board in rookie drafts. Out of ten mock drafts, his highest selection was fifth overall and his lowest was at the ten spot.

14.) Projected dynasty value – He is currently holding a 64.50 ADP, making him an early sixth-round selection in startup drafts. This is a palatable price tag for him considering he’s one of the top rookie wide receivers in this draft class. Due to age insulation, he should at least hold his value during the first couple of years of his career.

15.) Recruiting profile – Washington was a three-star recruit and according to 247Sports, was ranked the 95th receiver in his recruiting class. There were only three schools that sent him offer letters and they were Texas State, Texas Christian University, and Oklahoma State. However, he was recruited heavily by Texas. Not only was he a talented high school football recruit, but he was also District MVP in basketball and was first-team all-district and first-team all-region in tennis.

16.) High school production – 2011 (sophomore): 39 receptions for 650 yards and 12 touchdowns. 2012 (junior): 73 receptions for 1,141 yards and 17 touchdowns. 2013 (senior): 77 receptions for 1,475 yards and 26 touchdowns.

17.) Tearing up the Senior Bowl – Even though he didn’t catch a pass in the Senior Bowl, he did dominate the practices. His play made him the talk of Mobile during Senior Bowl Week. Washington consistently blew by defensive backs with his speed in one-on-one drills.

18.) One of the all-time great Cowboys – Washington finished his collegiate career as Oklahoma State’s all-time leader with 4,472 receiving yards. He also ranked third in school history with 226 receptions and 39 touchdowns.

19.) Outdoorsmen – A quirky fact about Washington is that he’s an avid hunter who used to enter coyote hunting competitions while in high school. His biggest dream is to one day buy a ranch and use his land to hunt all types of different animals.

20.) Fred Biletnikoff Award – Due to his tremendous performance during his senior season, Washington was bestowed the Biletnikoff Award. Notable players who have previously won the award are Terry Glenn, Randy Moss, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Michael Crabtree (2007 and 2008), Golden Tate, Brandin Cooks, Amari Cooper, Corey Coleman and Dede Westbrook.

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Bruce Matson

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

I'm a financial counselor for a hospital in South Central Ohio. I graduated from Muskingum University with a bachelor's in business while minoring in Economics and Accounting. I won my first fantasy football title with Jake Plummer as my quarterback.