Washington
CBS Sports Tabs Darnell Washington As Steelers' 'Under The Radar' Player With Star Potential
Excitement was high following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ selection of former Georgia standout tight end Darnell Washington in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Ultimately, that excitement didn’t translate to the field in his rookie season as Washington was primarily a blocking tight end and didn’t move all that well as a route runner.
That could — and should — all change in 2024 for Washington now that he’s playing under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who loves to utilize tight ends in the passing game.
That pairing with Smith is a big reason why CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan highlighted Washington as the Steelers’ “under the radar” player with star potential ahead of the 2024 season.
“Washington is about as big of a target as you could imagine, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 265 pounds. He didn’t do much in the passing game last year, but his athleticism suggests he could be a key cog in Arthur Smith’s offense,” Sullivan writes. “That combination of size and athletic ability even resulted in Justin Fields putting him in the same breath as former All-Pro Jimmy Graham.
“If Washington reaches those heights, the Steelers would have quite the weapon.”
The size is what really stands out with Washington. He is a huge human being, one who blew people away with his size and athleticism coming out of college. Though he plays more like an extra offensive lineman and has that mentality of being a sixth offensive lineman, there is untapped potential in Washington as a receiver.
Last season, Washington was largely kept as that in-line tight end, one who served as a blocker, period.
He had just 10 targets in the passing game on the year, finishing with seven receptions for 61 yards, though four of his receptions went for first downs.
Washington played 511 snaps offensively last season, which was just under 48%. That number should increase in 2024 with Smith now calling the plays. That, in turn, could lead to more production from Washington as a receiver. While there are concerns about his knees and his abilities as a receiver in the NFL, Washington should have more opportunities as a pass catcher in 2024 to alleviate some of those concerns.
That could lead to a massive increase in production and could put Washington’s name on the map as one of the unicorn tight ends once again with his size, athleticism and abilities as a pass catcher.
City leaders in Washington say one of the busiest corners of their town has turned into an eyesore: a parking lot overflowing with trash, furniture, and old tires directly across from Washington High School.
Now, frustration is growing as the city waits for a court hearing before it can force a cleanup. Business owners say enough is enough.
“We’re doing everything we can legally do. We just can’t go on the property and start moving stuff,” said Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess.
Burgess says the spot at 308 Jefferson Avenue has turned into a junkyard that they can’t legally touch.
“I hate it whenever I hear people say, ‘Why are you letting him be there?’ We’re not letting him be there. If we were letting him be there, he would have a permit that says, ‘OK, you can be there.’ He doesn’t have that.”
The business, Hauling and That, moved in this summer. But by August, the mess had gotten out of control, and so had the complaints.
The city filed 10 citations against the property owner and the business owner, ranging from nuisance vehicles to unapproved solid-waste collection. Those citations also come with a daily fine.
“He’s calling me, telling me, ‘Will you work with me?’ No, I’m not going to work with you. I need you to get into compliance with what we say the rules are here in the city,” Mayor Burgess said.
“It’s definitely not a good look. We take a lot of pride in our shop, and having that across the street is definitely not good,” said Johnny Interval, owner of Barbiere. “It’s right across the street from the school. It’s just a bad look for the city in general, you know what I mean?”
The mayor says the mess stems from the owner never securing the proper permits or zoning approvals, something the city says it warned him about early on.
As the community watched the trash pile grow, the safety concern also grew.
“I’d hate for a kid to go get into that mess and find something and get hurt,” Mayor Burgess said. “That’s why we issued the citations. That’s why we’re going in front of the magistrate.”
A hearing is set for Nov. 25.
If the judge rules against the business owner, the fines could escalate quickly, and the city could eventually be permitted to step in and remove the debris.
WASHINGTON (7News) — A large and vocal crowd gathered at the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University for a Turning Point USA discussion that featured Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
This marked the group’s first high-profile event in Washington, D.C., since co-founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during an appearance in Utah.
Kennedy addressed topics ranging from vaccines to allergies.
While the packed auditorium was filled with cheering, the event also attracted protesters outside who were upset with Kennedy’s stances on healthcare.
Washington State (5-5) at No. 21 James Madison (9-1), Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. EST.
BetMGM College Football Odds Opening Line: James Madison by 13.5. Against the spread: James Madison 7-3, Washington State 6-4.
How to watch: ESPN+
Key stats
James Madison Offense
Overall: 457.3 yards per game (19th in FBS)
Passing: 215.7 yards per game (83rd)
Rushing: 241.6 yards per game (7th)
Scoring: 37.1 points per game (14th)
James Madison Defense
Overall: 257.1 yards per game (5th in FBS)
Passing: 168 yards per game (13th)
Rushing: 89.1 yards per game (7th)
Scoring: 16.2 points per game (11th)
Washington State Offense
Overall: 309.9 yards per game (119th in FBS)
Passing: 199.4 yards per game (96th)
Rushing: 110.5 yards per game (119th)
Scoring: 20.7 points per game (115th)
Washington State Defense
Overall: 304.1 yards per game (18th in FBS)
Passing: 168.9 yards per game (14th)
Rushing: 135.2 yards per game (49th)
Scoring: 21 points per game (34th)
Washington State ranks 102nd in third down percentage, converting 35.9% of the time. James Madison ranks 10th on defense, allowing its opponents at convert at 30.2%.
Washington State ranks 123rd in the FBS with a -9 turnover margin, compared to James Madison’s 67th-ranked even margin.
James Madison is 132nd in the FBS averaging 69.8 penalty yards per game, compared to Washington State’s 64th-ranked 53.5 per-game average.
Washington State is 15th in FBS in red zone offense, scoring on 92.9% of trips.
Both teams rank high in time of possession. James Madison is 2nd in the FBS with an average time of possession of 35:09, while Washington State’s 18th-ranked average is 32:11.
Team leaders
James Madison
Passing: Alonza Barnett III, 2,089 yards, 16 TDs, 5 INTs, 61.6 completion percentage
Rushing: Wayne Knight, 840 yards on 136 carries, 7 TDs
Receiving: Landon Ellis, 532 yards on 32 catches, 5 TDs
Washington State
Passing: Zevi Eckhaus, 1,390 yards, 10 TDs, 8 INTs, 64.0 completion percentage
Rushing: Kirby Vorhees, 473 yards on 105 carries, 4 TDs
Receiving: Josh Meredith, 588 yards on 44 catches, 3 TDs
Last game
James Madison won 58-10 over Appalachian State on Saturday, Nov. 15. Barnett led James Madison with 303 yards on 22-of-35 passing (62.9%) for no touchdowns and one interception. He also carried the ball 11 times for 0 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Jobadiah Malary carried the ball eight times for 105 yards and scored three touchdowns. Jaylan Sanchez put up 69 yards on two catches.
Washington State won 28-3 over Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Nov. 15. Eckhaus led Washington State with 146 yards on 17-of-25 passing (68.0%) for one touchdown and no interceptions. He also carried the ball 11 times for 56 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Vorhees had 76 rushing yards on 16 carries and one touchdown, adding two receptions for 12 yards. Meredith put up 70 yards on five catches with one touchdown.
Next game
James Madison plays at Coastal Carolina on Nov. 29. Washington State hosts Oregon State on Nov. 29.
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