2nd and last for now. More Steelers Depot contextualizing ...this the 2016-17 third down passes in print and gif. You'll note here, as i did the number of drops involved too, not just the great plays. He is absolutely no worse, IMO than MB in regards (last year in college and rookie campaign) to drops and where he may lack that flat out speed he more than makes up for with far more mature route tree. another very interesting prospect that I have very high hopes for... http://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/0...ngtons-college-3rd-down-targets-in-2016-2017/
just found this on him too... PFF’s Take: Washington had all of five drops on 79 catchable passes this past season. His physicality really showed in the 1-on-1s at the Senior Bowl where he had the highest win rate of any receiver against press coverage. https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...-oklahoma-state-rookie-duo-rudolph-washington That's as good or better than Bryant ever produced ... the whole article is pretty good
Washington is the polar opposite of Bryant when it comes to winning 50/50 balls. It's a welcome change.
beach; Washington is the polar opposite of Bryant when it comes to winning 50/50 balls. This is a great point. Here's what they said about Bryant's combine results; WEAKNESSES Inconsistent hands -- tends to double-clutch the ball and makes too many easy drops. Is not a polished route runner -- is stiff in and out of his breaks. Lacks toughness desired to work the middle of the field. http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/martavis-bryant?id=2543572 At 6'4" with arm length @ 32-5/8", hand size 9-1/2" Bryant, intangibles would seem to loom large over Washington,but At 5'11" with arm length @ 32-3/8" hand size 9-3/4" Washington is in the game... as in his pro combine commentary... Adjusts speed to match ball flight and keeps cornerbacks stacked Able to go up and come down with the deep ball with the best of them https://www.nfl.com/prospects/james-washington?id=32462018-0002-5599-27dc-5f82fa873706 AB, J2S2 and now Washington (hopefully at the professional level too) all fight for the ball well, high point well and at least noticeably at the Senior bowl he had the highest win rate of any receiver against press coverage. I loved Bryants speed but hated the point of catch and wondered if it would be caught consistently. I think Washington's factors like: Escapes press with good initial quickness Vertical talent averaging just over 20 yards per catch over last three years Awkward early steps into route develop into powerful, driving strides eight yards in Surprises cornerbacks with build up speed and consistently gets by them Accelerates from stems on post routes and creates open deep looks for quarterbacks Tracks balls like a centerfielder racing for the warning track Adjusts speed to match ball flight and keeps cornerbacks stacked Able to go up and come down with the deep ball with the best of them Deep speed creates cushion for comeback routes underneath Flashes runaway speed after catch or will get physical to add critical yardage Worked outside and from slot https://www.nfl.com/prospects/james-washington?id=32462018-0002-5599-27dc-5f82fa873706 far outweigh straightline speed a height advantage that was not always (inconsistantly) taken advantage of. I'm looking forward to Washington's introduction in to the "show" with players who will be testing him as opponents defenses will be testing him and seeing how he stands up to that competition. From what we have heard and seen so far, I have high hopes.
That bolded part was extremely frustrating to watch for me personally. Bryant would not go up and win consistently. Between that, the lazy route running, and not catching with hands, I had little faith in Bryant coming down with a deep ball. He had a much better chance of making a big play on a slant or drag and outrunning the defense. Ben's deep ball wasn't the best, but watching Bryant refusing to slow up and out jump the defender and bail out his quarterback was infuriating. Based on what little film I have seen of Washington, he'll go up and fight for the ball. He's probably the rookie that will have the biggest opportunity to make an impact this season, I'm looking forward to seeing him play. His 40 time wasn't the greatest, but he plays fast and runs away from people.
So look, news is slow and I'm biting on any new fun stuff thrown my way ... here's this ....on James and Rudolph ... While watching this, look at how many times James is tackled around the legs, albeit short, but contact was still made and he powers through it, tremendous balance and more than a few 1 handed grabs AND watch a small sampling of clinical stiff arming in the NCAA I am in hopes he can bring liberally in to the NFL.
I notice that Washington reminds me more of AB then any other WR. Rudolph looks like a more accurate version of Ben.
Pittsburgh did well with Washington and Rudolph. Washington is going to be a stud. Rudolph. Well, we'll see.
Gid; Rudolph looks very accurate in those highlights. Yeah he does, ... you don't get the Belitnikoff w/o a great QB throwing to you, but I agree w/ SPress too... be in a holding pattern over both these guys til they start scratchin that NFL itch and Washington will get many shots in before Rudolph even smells the turf.
Here's a bit more on Washington ... all the more good news... he rates a 133.8 passer rating generated on contested catches, which lead the NCAA 2017. Again, the polar opposite of Bryant, who, quite honestly thrilled me sometimes on catches i did not expect him to make but almost never on catches that were even marginally contested. https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...s-name-is-james-washington-2018-nfl-draft-pff good article if you got the time to read.
It is amazing to me that so many teams continue to allow these receivers to fall to the Steelers. A good article from Kaboly at The Athletic.. James Washington is the modern-day Energizer Bunny — he just keeps going and going and going Tomlin looked at the sidelines where the media was assembled and said: “You guys are going to write how much ass 13 is kicking, aren’t you?” James Washington couldn’t tell you how many times during his high school days that his father made him bale hay at the family farm in Stamford, Texas. It was a lot and it always seemed to be around the hottest times of the year but James (the dad) always had an ulterior motive for what he told James (the son) to do. “He wanted me to do it for strength and stamina,” Washington said. However, along the way, those 6 a.m. wake-up calls where he and his father would trudge out to the farm for a long day of work, a work ethic developed. His dad would routinely give him the hard jobs that he didn’t want to do like barn work, fixing tractor tires and, of course, baling hay. But Washinton shut his mouth and did it. Little did Washington know at the time but that work ethic (that he only enhanced during his four years at Oklahoma State) has put him in position to contribute to the Steelers’ offense immediately, which is really quite unusual. Rookie receivers don’t usually give themselves a chance to compete for playing time early because they just aren’t in NFL shape. “You see it all the time,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said. “They think they are in shape and then realize they aren’t in shape for what we do.” But not every day do you draft a wide receiver with a farmer’s work ethic who went to a college program like Oklahoma State with a renowned strength and conditioning coach whose job was to prepare players for a speed style of offense that would routinely touch 80 offensive snaps per game. That has put Washington in a position unlike many of the guys who came before him — playing right away. JuJu Smith-Schuster didn’t do it. Antonio Brown didn’t do it. Neither did Martavis Bryant, Sammie Coates, Emmanuel Sanders and Markus Wheaton. Smith-Schuster played in less than 50 percent of the snaps the first two games last year; Brown played in only three of the team’s first nine games in 2010 while others — Bryant (inactive for his first six games in 2014), Coates (36 snaps the entire 2015 season), Sanders (didn’t contribute much until mid-November in 2010) and Wheaton (20 snaps in his first three games in 2013) did less. You have to go all the way back to Mike Wallace in 2009 as a rookie who made an immediate impact with the Steelers. Washington is well on his way to being a significant contributor to the Steelers’ high-powered offense from Game 1 in Cleveland in a little more than a month if the first 10 days of training camp is any indication. “He’s giving himself a chance early. If they are going to give themselves a chance early, they have to be in condition,” Fichtner said. “They have to show that element play after play after play. If you are 4.6, you are 4.6. If you are 4.2, you are 4.2. We have to count on that every day.” Just like a farmer, Washington has shown up day after day. The rookie has been given a heavy workload through the first two weeks of camp and he’s shown to be consistent enough to show up in some form every day. Whether it’s a combat catch down the field like he made Friday night in between two defensive backs or him showing a special ability to get open during red-zone periods, Washington has not only flashed but he’s been noticeable every practice. On Saturday, Washington caught the game-winning touchdown pass on a pretty sprawling grab in the corner of the end zone from Ben Roethlisberger during the practice-ending two-minute drill period that even wrested a smile out from Mike Tomlin. Tomlin looked at the sidelines where the media was assembled and said: “You guys are going to write how much ass 13 is kicking, aren’t you?” Washington was targeted three straight times by Roethlisberger inside the 10-yard line during the period that shows that he has at least earned some trust with Washington. “It’s potential right now,” Roethlisberger said. “We are still learning and still trying to figure out what role he’s going to have on this team. He’s willing and able to do whatever we ask him to do.” A lot of that has to do with being able to put forth a consistent effort even if one period calls for him to run full-speed routes and he’s getting as many as eight reps in a 10-minute period. Or if it’s a seven-on-seven period right before the team period where’s he asked to run first-team and third-team reps. “They don’t have time for a receiver to get tired,” Washington said. “You have to keep going all day. It helped me that I came from Oklahoma State where we did a no-huddle, hurry-up offense. Honestly, it’s a lot less running than I am used to.” Washington did plenty of running at Oklahoma State. Strength and conditioning coach Rob Glass put him in a rigorous training program that included 200-meter repeats during the summer. That was easy for Washington, who was a track star in high school (his best event was the 200). Of course, Washington was also a football, basketball and tennis star at Stamford High as well. That all helped him with his cardio, his burst and his ability to be able to run past defenders almost at will in the Big 12, and that’s what Washington did for four years in college. The 5-foot-11, 213-pound Washington finished his senior year with 1,549 yards and 13 touchdowns on 74 catches, for averages of 20.9 yards per catch and 119.2 per game. He finished his OSU career with 4,462 receiving yards, most in Cowboy history. Washington’s early flashes have caught the eye of Roethlisberger, especially the conditioning aspect as a rookie receiver. “I think he starts to wane a little bit toward the end of a period but he’s has lasted longer than most receivers that come in here, I can tell you that,” Roethlisberger said. “I’ve seen him make some plays, he’s learning. It becomes fast. Everything is thrown at you pretty quickly. Things are coming in all directions so I think he’s doing well.” Washington has been heavy in the reps so far including his share of first-team ones especially since Antonio Brown has been out with a quad strain. The Steelers are trying to see if Washington is able to replace Bryant, who they surprisingly traded in April to get an extra third-round pick. Washington, a second-round pick, was immediately looked at not only to be Bryant’s replacement but contribute immediately. “I kind of felt coming in that they expected a lot,” Washington said. “All these reps I am getting is just helping me get more involved in the offense.” The first place he can help is stretching the field, something Bryant was very good at. Washington has a reputation of being a combat catch guy only and he’s shown that he has an uncanny ability to do such. But labeling him as a deep-only guy isn’t fair and isn’t true as proven by the first nine practices this summer. Washington has made every kind of catch — short, long, in-cuts, out-cuts, fades around the goal line, everything. But still, it’s the deep ball and combat catches off the deep ball that has everybody excited. Mason Rudolph, who was Washington’s quarterback at Oklahoma State and was the Steelers’ third-round pick in April, said it’s always been like that. “Since he can run by everybody and either caught a post or a go every game, that was what he was known for a lot,” Rudolph said. “When people thought of James Washington, their first thought was that he catches those highlight passes on ESPN but he’s a very complete receiver and that’s just his forte and what he does best.” At Oklahoma State, Washington led the NCAA in receiving yards, yards per game and was first in yards per receptions (20.9) with receivers who had more than 40 receptions. Washington averaged 19.8 yards per catch over his four collegiate seasons with a lot of that coming with a defensive back in his face. “It isn’t something you learn, it’s just a matter of want-to,” Washington said. “Some guys think about getting hit. You are going to get hit so I don’t look at it that way. I have always been told that if you make the combat catches that it hurts a lot less. I try to catch them all.” And so far, he hasn’t missed many.
You bet Pumpkin... my pleasure. It's great hearing your voice here. I think this kid has a shot at starting especially if he'll continue the combat catch for Ben too. QB confidence goes a long way and although he's not all that tall his catch radius has already shown itself to be ample and already practicing with the ones ... with Ben... I think until otherwise shown, he deserves the confidence he's receiving. and farm hands that'll rip the shoe off a horse has a pretty good chance of coming down with the ball. yeeees ... I'm excited. Thursday in Green Bay is just tomorrow...
