Russell Wilson on rookie wide receiver Montrell Washington: ‘He may be the one.’

The Denver Broncos chosen small faculty huge receiver Montrell Washington within the fifth spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft. Initially, many had been skeptical and criticized the choice. He got here from a small faculty in Samford, draftnik’s had him ranked as an undrafted free agent, and he’s a smaller receiver who many thought-about ‘only a returner’.

Nonetheless. after a robust coaching camp and preseason, Washington went from a criticized choice into a well-liked breakout rookie. If he continues to impress, we are able to thank Broncos future Corridor Of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson for noticing the small faculty receiver.

Wilson throughout his press convention saying his five-year contract extension with the Broncos was requested about his relationship with Basic Supervisor George Paton and Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett. He famous a second previous to the 2022 NFL Draft the place he and George Paton spent hours watching the receiving prospects collectively.

“There are such a lot of gifted gamers within the draft yearly. I like watching the fellows. I like watching the receivers, the tight ends, working backs, and the lineman, too. I’ll always remember going into his workplace. He says, ‘Hey, come on in. I need to present you some clips. I’ve a bunch of receiver clips and stuff.’ We watched each single receiver. Actually. Once I say each single receiver, we watched each single receiver for a few good hour and a half, two hours.”

Throughout that course of, they got here throughout Montrell Washington, the undersized small faculty huge receiver from Samford, and had been impressed by his tape. So impressed that Wilson and Paton checked out one another

‘We watched each single man, after which we got here throughout this man named [WR] Montrell Washington. We checked out one another like, ‘He stands out as the one.’ Positive sufficient. Clearly, [General Manager] George [Paton] and his crew have finished a tremendous job discovering nice expertise, and the way they choose these guys—it’s been actually particular.’

George Paton and the Broncos choice makers had been so impressed by Washington’s upside that they spent a fifth-round choice on him and gave Wilson the receiver he handpicked. Thus far, Washington has been proving them proper as he was the star of coaching camp and made performs in the course of the preseason.

As Wilson stated, ‘positive sufficient”, George Paton and the Broncos discovered expertise within the draft for the second straight yr. Washington would be the beginning kick and punt returner in week one and sure will get some reps on offense. Getting that kind of manufacturing immediately from a day three choice is fairly uncommon.

In the long run, hopefully, Montrell Washington turns into one other Tyler Lockett or Doug Baldwin kind of receiver for Russell Wilson and the Broncos. Each had been/are undersized huge receivers who contributed in an enormous method for him throughout their careers. Washington suits that mildew and is already wanting spectacular.

I’m excited to see what these two expertise evaluators the Broncos at the moment have in Paton and Wilson can discover within the coming years collectively.