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| Keith Washington |
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 175 lbs.
High school: Prattville (AL) Prattville
Position: Cornerback
Class: Freshman
Jersey number: #6
Last year: Washington was a senior in high school. As a quarterback, he was 92/162 passing for 1,718 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions; he also rushed 152 times for 1,201 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was a 247 Composite 3-star, the #78 athlete, and #955 overall.
TTB Rating: 68
Washington grew up in Louisiana and Texas before moving to Prattville as a junior. Once he arrived, he took over the quarterback job and had quite a successful two-year career there. He was good enough to earn a fair number of scholarship offers, and he committed to Cal. Michigan swooped in with an offer late in the process after Jim Harbaugh was hired, and Washington committed to the Wolverines without ever visiting Ann Arbor.
Washinton has not played much cornerback in his career since he was the starting quarterback, and he did not have the advantage of enrolling early. Since he is very unpolished and skinny, it's reasonable to expect that he will redshirt. Michigan is fairly thin at corner, though, so a couple injuries could put him on the field. The coaches like his speed, change of direction, and mentality, and I think he might get a chance before Reon Dawson (who is only 3 lbs. heavier than Washington despite being a redshirt sophomore). But if the Wolverines need to count on Washington, they might be in trouble.
Prediction: Redshirt if possible
Hoping he red-shirts. Agree with putting him above Dawson just because there has been so little positive rumblings on Dawson (see a contrast with Watson, for example). More uncertainty (good or bad) with freshman so there's always a chance he plays, especially at CB. Also an outside chance of him returning kicks I suppose.
ReplyDelete"with freshman so there's always a chance he plays, especially at CB"
DeleteHelp me ... I would think CB a position, along with safeties, is one where coaches might be a bit nervous about true freshman. Is it a case where the CB position is one where raw athleticism outweighs pure technique?
Freshman corners contribute all the time, as do rookie corners in the NFL. It's one of the positions that is easiest to learn, and you don't really need to understand the whole defense to play. That's why you see so many corners come in and play when they're young (Donovan Warren, Jabrill Peppers, Jourdan Lewis, Leon Hall, Channing Stribling, Raymon Taylor, Blake Countess, Channing Stribling, etc.), often without being huge liabilities.
DeletePositions where speed/athleticism matter most (CB, RB, WDE) are the easiest to contribute immediately at.
DeletePositions where size/technique (OL) or brains/experience (QB, S) matter most are hardest. Typically if a freshman is playing here he either an absolute stud or received advanced coaching (e.g., Tate Forcier).
Other positions are sort of both (WR, LB), where elite athletes can play right away, but most people take a few years to develop the skillset.
The other thing that factors in is system. Spread attacks tend to be simpler to execute so require less prep, as opposed to pro-style offenses. Wisconsin v. Oregon.