James Washington, Oklahoma State: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Oklahoma State’s James Washington is a big-play wide receiver who makes some really amazing catches.

James Washington is an aggressive wide receiver who has a knack for producing explosive plays. He’s someone who can stretch the field with his speed, win in contested situations and pick up yards after the catch.

Washington’s best attribute is his ability to track the football. He quickly finds the ball and puts himself in position to make the catch. His body control also stands out and allows him to shift his frame to make some eye-popping plays.

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He uses his long arms and frame to attack the ball at its highest point. Washington also features excellent leaping ability. His quarterback can feel comfortable throwing the ball towards Washington even if he’s in double coverage.

Washington has good speed that helps him outpace defenders, but it’s not elite speed. However, He doesn’t need elite speed because he has good size and toughness.

His route running skills need some improvement based mainly on the fact that he plays in Oklahoma State’s spread attack. A high number of his routes include streaking down the sidelines. However, he shows the ability to work back to the quarterback on intermediate routes.

Outside of his route running, Washington has some focus issues that result in some drops. This is one area that could scare some teams away. However, the majority of NFL teams will overlook this problem to get Washington’s big-play ability.

The natural skills are present for Washington to be a dominant player. His chances for success are strong thanks to aggressive style of play. Washington is someone who wants to win and will fight to get his hands on the football.

There are plenty of elite athletes who never find success because they lack a killer instinct. Washington obviously has that passion. This combination gives him a great chance to be a No. 1 target at the next level.