Cowboys Newly Signed WR James Washington | Film Session

How new wide receiver James Washington fits with the Cowboys

Coming out of college, Washington was a prospect banking on his upside. Oklahoma State had largely used him as a deep threat, and it had worked well. Washington tallied at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his final three seasons in Stillwater and averaged an absurd 20.3 yards per catch during that time. But at 5’11” and 213 pounds, scouts questioned whether Washington could replicate that kind of success against NFL defensive backs and not Big 12 defensive backs.

Those concerns seem to have been proven right thus far. The Steelers selected Washington in the second round, making him the seventh receiver drafted in 2018, going 21 spots ahead of new teammate Michael Gallup.

Washington never became a fixture of the Steelers’ passing attack, only playing on more than half of the team’s offensive snaps in a year in the 2019 season. That was also his most productive year in Pittsburgh, catching 44 balls for 735 yards and three touchdowns. Also of note, 31 of his 44 catches that year went for first downs.

It may not be entirely his fault, though. Washington’s best feature coming out of the draft - his ability to stretch the field vertically - was initially showing. In his first two seasons, Washington averaged 11.4 yards before the catch. However, the Steelers adopted much more of a quick, short passing game the last two years to accommodate the aging Ben Roethlisberger.

-David Howman