When the Atlanta Falcons selected former Illinois wide receiver Casey Washington with the 187th pick in the 2024 draft, fans had not heard of the 23-year-old receiver. Another reason for the receiver to keep that "chip on his shoulder" that drew General Manager Terry Fontenot to him in the first place. However, in the weeks after the draft, Washington became one of the darlings of this draft that most have found underwhelming for the Falcons.
So, it's only right that we dive into Washington's potential fit in Atlanta's projected offense under offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and see the impact the "prototype receiver" can have.
Positives
Prototypical Size and Speed
In his post-NFL draft press conference, Fontenot stated that Washington is the prototype at receiver. At 6'0", 197 pounds, Washington ran a 4.46 40-yard dash, broad jumped 10' and had a 39.5" vertical at his Pro Day. With that mixture of size and speed, Fontenot immediately dreamed of him as a gunner on kickoff and punt coverage. He also uses that large frame to his advantage in the run game as a blocker.
Bona Fide Ball-Winner
Washington won at Illinois by beating would-be defenders when the ball was in the air. Washington knew how to maneuver his body, whether on backside fades or in a one-on-one situation on the outside, to get himself in the best position to make a play on the ball. And he has a lot of experience with contested passes. According to PFF, out of his 85 total targets last season, 30.6% of them (26) were contested, tied for 12th-most of any player in the country with 75+ targets. Of those 26, he pulled in 53.8% of them (14).
Illinois (and now Falcons) receiver Casey Washington: 49 catches last season, 10 explosive plays. 6'2", 200-pound vertical receiver who can be a real problem for defenses on fade balls. Atlanta got this one right. pic.twitter.com/Xm9G7T9o3m
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) April 28, 2024
Field Stretcher
Outside of a 50/50 ball-winner, Atlanta's offense needed a vertical field stretcher. Rondale Moore is best on a horizontal plane and Darnell Mooney should be using his route-running ability to separate from defenders. There was no immediate downfield threat for the Falcons. Washington was tasked with being that vertical threat for the Illini last season, running up the sideline and being tasked to win one-on-one. Washington was also tasked with winning on quick tunnel screens and deep crossers, showing an ability to horizontally stretch the field as well.
Negatives
Separation
Despite the speed, Washington doesn't separate from defenders very well. He doesn't change direction well as he ran a 7.39 three-cone and 4.43 20-yard shuttle. He will need to get a bit looser in his hips if he wants to separate from defenders in the NFL using something other than just running by them.
Limited Route-Runner
Washington wasn't asked to run a nuanced route tree at Illinois. He ran a lot of overs, fades and go-balls down the field while fielding tunnel screens closer to the line of scrimmage. While he does have the speed to become a solid pass-catcher, he will need to work on some of the nuances that come with being a consistent pass-catching option for an NFL offense.
Conclusion
Washington has a spot on this roster. whether it's on offense as a deep-ball threat to start or just as a special teams gunner, Washington will find a way on the field in 2024. With some development, who knows, Washington could potentially be a mainstay for Robinson and this Falcons offense for years to come.
