by J.T. Toth
Photo courtesy of USC Athletics.
At Draft 412, the NFL draft talk never ends. We will keep you ready for the next set of gridiron stars—from today and all the way until draft night 2024. We will bring you mock drafts, player profiles, individual team needs, and everything else you may need related to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Today’s Spotlight - USC, Wide receiver, Tahj Washington
Name- Tahj Washington
Pos- Wide Receiver
Team- USC
HT/WT- 5’10” 175 lbs.
Born- N/A
Home – Marshall, TX
In high school, Washington earned 2018 Texas All-State honorable mention after collecting 45 receptions for 868 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also was on the track and field team and played soccer at Marshall High School. He committed to Memphis during his senior year.
Tahj Washington saw the field in parts of two seasons at Memphis, playing in just 4 games before taking a redshirt in 2019. The following season he played 11 games and put up some solid numbers (43 receptions for 743 yards and 6 touchdowns) before transferring to USC. In 2021, he started 11 of the 12 games for the Trojans and had 54 receptions for 602 yards and a touchdown.
Washington became a big playmaker for the Trojans in 2022, averaging 15.7 yards per catch. His 50 receptions for 785 yards and 6 touchdowns came as the #4 receiver on the USC depth chart behind Jordan Addison, Mario Williams and Brendan Rice.
In his first game in 2023, he showed his big play ability with a 76 yard touchdown catch and ended with 2 receptions for 85 yards against San Jose State in a 56-28 victory.
He has sprinter type speed and can line up outside or inside, or be a weapon in the backfield. Washington puts defenders on their heels with his cutting ability, as he is able to juke opponents without breaking stride. His quickness makes him dangerous on quick slants and crossing patterns, and he’s a receiver that once he gets to full speed is tough to bring down. He runs well, with sudden twitch and head fakes, and is tough to mirror one-on-one.
Washington is a lanky receiver who has difficulty playing against any kind of physicality. Though he has lined up on the outside, he projects as a slot receiver at the next level. He has concentration lapses and will drop a pass when he is trying to run before putting the ball away. He can be a one-trick pony with speed being his biggest asset, and may project as a third or a rotational receiver on a depth chart at the next level.
Watching video of Washington’s game, it is not hard to make a comparison to Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett. Both are 5’10” and fast, and if Washington can improve his concentration, he has a chance to be a solid NFL receiver.
Strengths
Speed
Twitchy
Solid slot receiver
Big play ability
Weaknesses
Physicality
Bump and run
Concentration/drops
Lanky build/ strength
Final Analysis
Tahj Washington is another USC receiver who is fighting for catches and looking to improve his draft stock. As he showed in week 1, he is the big play guy and needs to cash in on the Caleb Williams Heisman run to improve his draft stock.
Draft 412 Draft Projection - Round 3 or Round 4