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The tight end position is rife for "matchup nightmares" for opposing defenses. There are players at the position who are often too big for defensive backs to cover or shed blocks from and also too fast for linebackers to keep up with in coverage consistently.
There may not be a bigger mismatch for opposing defenses at the position than the Pittsburgh Steelers' Darnell Washington.
Pittsburgh drafted Washington in the third round, No. 93 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Georgia. As a rookie, Washington played in less than half of the offensive snaps for the Steelers.
That made sense as the former Bulldog was viewed as a prospect with elite traits but needing some refinement in technique to stick in the NFL. In his third season, Washington's taken a step in his development.
He's on pace for career-highs across the board as a receiver as his role's increased on offense under coordinator Arthur Smith. He'll likely be featured heavily in the Steelers' "Sunday Night Football" matchup on the road versus the Green Bay Packers.
Don't worry, he won't be hard to spot when he's on the field. He's one of the biggest players on the field in any game he's playing.
Darnell Washington size, height, weight
Washington was the biggest tight end selected in his draft class at 6-foot-7 and 264 pounds. Only New York Jets pick Zack Kuntz could match his height at 6-foot-7.
Pittsburgh still lists his weight at 264 pounds on their roster and have since he was drafted in 2023. But that's not necessarily true.
Steelers tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts said last season that Washington weighed over 300 pounds. Former Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson corroborated that and said Washington weighed 315 pounds towards the end of the season.
NFL broadcasters have enjoyed questioning Washington's listed weight on their roster. Three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt – now an analyst for CBS – did not think that was correct when asked during the Steelers-Browns game in Week 6.
If Wilson and Roberts' estimates are true, Washington would be the first tight end playing at 300 pounds or more since 2021 when career guard Dan Feeney was classified as a tight end for the Jets.
His combination of lineman size and tight end athleticism has seen him deployed as a blocker very often for the Steelers' offense.
Darnell Washington stats
Washington scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Here's how he's done so far this season:
- Games: 6 (5 starts)
- Targets: 14
- Catches: 9
- Receiving yards: 84
- Receiving touchdowns: 1
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How big is Darnell Washington? Pittsburgh Steelers TE size, height, weight
Reporting by Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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