Casey Washington (born March 6, 2001) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and was selected by the Falcons in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft.
 Washington in 2022 | |
| No. 82 – Atlanta Falcons | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Wide receiver |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 6, 2001 Round Rock, Texas, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Pflugerville (Pflugerville, Texas) |
| College: | Illinois (2019–2023) |
| NFL draft: | 2024 / round: 6 / pick: 187 |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Active |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life
editThe son of a former football player for the Kansas State Wildcats, Washington was born on March 6, 2001, and grew up in Round Rock, Texas.[1] He attended Pflugerville High School where he played football as a wide receiver and totaled 42 receptions for 565 yards and five touchdowns as a senior.[2] He was ranked a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini.[1]
College career
editWashington appeared in 10 games, five as a starter, as a true freshman at Illinois in 2019, posting 11 receptions for 132 yards.[3] He then had 10 catches for 106 yards in 2020.[4] He entered the NCAA transfer portal and transferred to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in 2021, but had second thoughts during spring practice and re-entered the transfer portal, returning to Illinois and being granted an eligibility waiver by the NCAA.[5] He ended the 2021 season with 21 catches for 294 yards.[6] During the season, he caught the game-winning two-point conversion in the team's 20–18 nine-overtime win over the Penn State Nittany Lions, which set a record for most overtimes; Washington's gloves from the game were put on display in the College Football Hall of Fame.[7]
In 2022, Washington played 13 games, three as a starter, and had 31 catches for 306 yards.[8] He had his best year as a senior in 2023, recording 49 catches for 670 yards and four touchdowns.[9] He ended his collegiate career having appeared in 55 games while totaling 122 receptions for 1,508 yards and four touchdowns.[10] He was invited to the East–West Shrine Bowl.[11]
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+7⁄8 in (1.85 m) |
201 lb (91 kg) |
31+3⁄4 in (0.81 m) |
9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.46 s | 1.57 s | 2.60 s | 4.43 s | 7.39 s | 39.5 in (1.00 m) |
10 ft 7 in (3.23 m) |
13 reps | |
| All values from Pro Day[12][13] | ||||||||||||
Washington impressed at his pro day, posting a 4.46-second 40-yard dash.[13] He was selected in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2024 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.[14][15]
References
edit- ^ a b Brugler, Dane (April 2024). "The Beast: 2024 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 82.
- ^ Wagner, Joey (August 24, 2019). "Casey Washington carries chip, brings talent to Illinois football". Herald & Review. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ Wagner, Joey (October 13, 2020). "'You've got to prove yourself everyday,' Illinois wide receiver Casey Washington focusing on consistency". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ Wagner, Joey (July 21, 2021). "WR Casey Washington returning to Illini after transfer to Wake Forest". 247Sports. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ Boyd, James (August 21, 2021). "Welcome back, Casey". The Pantagraph. p. B1, B2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wagner, Joey (August 16, 2022). "'He's really made the leap': Illini WR Casey Washington growing into leadership role". 247Sports. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Shalin, Dan (October 29, 2021). "Pflugerville High Grad's Gloves To College Football Hall of Fame". Patch.com. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ "Casey Washington". Illinois Fighting Illini. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Urben, Matt (April 27, 2024). "Falcons select WR Casey Washington in 6th round of 2024 draft". USA Today. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Ledbetter, D. Orlando (April 27, 2024). "Falcons' draft bio: Casey Washington, WR, Illinois". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ McElhaney, Tori; Waack, Terrin; Subhan, Amna (April 27, 2024). "Falcons select WR Casey Washington with the No. 187 pick overall in 2024 NFL Draft". Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "2024 NFL Draft Scout Casey Washington College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Richardson, Shandel (April 28, 2024). "Impressive Pro Day Led To Atlanta Falcons Selecting Illinois' Casey Washington In Sixth Round Of NFL Draft". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ Furco, Dante (April 27, 2024). "Illinois' Casey Washington drafted in the 6th round, by the Atlanta Falcons". WICS. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
- ^ McElhaney, Tori; Waack, Terrin; Subhan, Amna (April 27, 2024). "Falcons select WR Casey Washington with the No. 187 pick overall in 2024 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.