Rookie Spotlight: Malik Washington, WR Virginia

Height: 5-8
Weight: 194
Hands:
Arm:
40 yard dash: 4.56 (projected)
2024 Age: 24* (unverified)
NFL Comparison: Demario Douglas
Breakout Age: 21* (RS SO)

Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)

Receptions: 44%
Receiving Yards: 47%
Receiving TDs: 47%
Total Production Percentage:46%

As a high school prospect:

Pros

Ridiculously productive
Accounted for literally almost one-half on the UVA receiving game in 2023
Elite yards/route run (3.15) in final season
Excellent contact balance
Elusive in space
Cuts on a dime
Runs with a head of steam and good burst
Able to separate with quick feet
Savvy route runner
Great hands
Small but solid frame

Cons

Lacks top end speed
Lets the ball into his chest too often
Size may relegate him to the slot

Scouting Notes:
Washington has been largely ignored as a top tier candidate as far as WR’s in this year’s draft goes, but his production at Virginia certainly put him in the conversation. Washington finished 2nd in the nation in receiving yards (1,426), scoring 9 TDs in the process as a 5th year senior – He hadn’t scored more than 3 TDs or gone over 701 yards in any season prior. The question this begs is whether his production at Virginia was primarily a facet of his skill or did it stem out of pure necessity? The Cavaliers had a dearth of receiving options behind Washington. Malachi Fields, the 2nd WR, had a respectable 800 yards and 5 TDs, but behind him the next highest mark was 176 yards, and it was by a RB. Most of the other ace WRs in the NCAA had better talent around them. That being said, Washington’s tape is impressive. Built like a running back, Washington is stout and powerful. As a route runner, Washington is smart if not very precise. His fleet footedness and deceptive head movement at his release help him to separate from his defenders with relative ease. He’s not exceptionally fast, but he’s quick footed and agile, changing direction suddenly and with aplomb. We know he has solid hands, his 110 grabs dwarf the competition, but what is most noticeable to me on his film is Washington’s exceptional contact balance. He’s already running with a full head of steam most of the time, and he seems to deflect contact when he’s not sidestepping it. Washington can get caught from behind though, as he doesn’t possess elite long speed and his strides are short. He also lets more balls into his chest than I’d like to see. This may partially be an artifact of the numerous slants and short passes he got over the middle.

Fantasy Outlook:
Short, but not particularly slight at 194 lbs, Washington will probably be seen as a slot WR. His lack of long speed might guarantee that. Whether He can find separation against NFL corners is something yet to be seen, but we’ll get a glimpse at the Shrine Bowl. I’m not sure Washington is a great athlete, but he’s a tenacious one who doesn’t go down easy, and those players often succeed, at least until they get injured. Washington’s bread and butter will be in PPR formats, as I don’t see him being a formidable asset in the red-zone, but if his NFL production can mimic his college output, he’ll be a valuable cog. Perhaps as in Virginia, Washington will need to land on a WR needy team to excel.