What to Know: Georgia TE Darnell Washington visits Packers

Top 30 visits have begun for NFL teams, and the first reported visit for the Green Bay Packers is with Georgia tight end Darnell Washington.

Washington is known for his blocking abilities, with his massive 6’6” – 264-pound frame. He would grade out as PFF’s fifth-best run-blocking tight end in 2022, and similarly to Marcedes Lewis during his tenure with the Packers, Washington would be like a sixth offensive lineman when on the field.

However, the draft is about projecting who a player can become, not who they are in the moment, and the intriguing part about Washington that makes him a potential first-round pick is his upside as a pass-catcher.

Washington would put up impressive testing numbers at the NFL Combine, posting an elite Relative Athletic Score of 9.87, which included a 4.64-second 40-yard dash, a 10’2” broad jump, and a shuttle time of 4.08 seconds—all elite scores among the tight end position.

While used often as a blocker in the Georgia offense, Washington spent about one-third of his snaps lined up in the slot. In 2022 specifically, he averaged an impressive 16.1 yards per catch on 25 receptions and was among the best tight ends in average YAC as well. Although a small sample size, this, coupled with Washington’s athletic testing, showcases the upside that he possesses as a pass catcher.

In what is a very deep tight end draft class, Washington is NFL.com’s second-ranked tight end overall. For more on his game, here is what Lance Zierlein wrote:

"“In-line tight end with rare size and power at the point of attack to help soften defensive edges up front. Despite sloppy overall technique, Washington can be effective at moving defenders when he’s centered on his block. He must improve his footwork and hand usage, as NFL defenders will slip away from his clutches more easily if he’s unsound. He plods into his routes but catches with above-average focus and can be a handful to bring down. Washington could become a dominant run blocker with better technique, which makes me wonder if a team might give him a look at offensive tackle at some point in his career.”"

The need that the Packers have at the tight end position is well documented. With just three tight ends on the roster at the moment, and of the three, only Josiah Deguara having any NFL experience, finding depth is a must.

On top of that, whoever ends up rounding out this tight end room will hopefully bring more playmaking as well. While Robert Tonyan was reliable, the Packers’ offense was lacking that dynamic ability in the passing game—an element that many of last year’s playoff teams had.

Due to the inexperience that could be in the Packers’ tight end room, along with Washington needing time to develop – most rookie tight ends don’t contribute significantly in that first season – adding a veteran to the mix in free agency could be valuable as well for some added stability at the position. But with that said, right away, Washington should provide value in the run game as a blocker and be an immediate threat in the red zone, another area where Green Bay struggled in 2022.

Of the Packers’ top 30 visits from 2022, six ended up as draft picks, and another three spent time on the team in some capacity.