The 2018 NFL Draft Prospect series breaks down draft-eligible players, highlighting their college production as well as their NFL potential. It’s important for daily fantasy players to know about NFL rookies before they’ve played a down of professional football because they are among the most misvalued assets in all of DFS. People who know NFL rookies have a significant DFS edge. The draft will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, from April 26-28.
This piece is on Oklahoma State wide receiver James Washington.
For more on all the other receivers in the class, see our 2018 NFL draft wide receiver rankings.
Updated as of Mar. 6.
Senior | 5’11″ and 213 Pounds | Born April 2, 1996 (Age: 21) | Projection: Round 2-3
Combine numbers: 40-yard: 4.54 sec | bench reps: 14 | 3-cone: 7.11 sec | 20-yard shuttle: 4.32 sec | vertical: 34.5 in | broad: 120 in
Washington is just the latest in a long line of Big 12 wide receivers to dominate college football before entering the NFL.
- Dede Westbrook: 2016 Biletnikoff winner
- Corey Coleman: 2015 Biletnikoff winner
- Josh Doctson: 2015 Biletnikoff finalist
- Kevin White: 2014 Biletnikoff finalist
- Stedman Bailey: 2012 Biletnikoff finalist
- Terrance Williams: 2012 Biletnikoff finalist
- Justin Blackmon: 2010 & 2011 Biletnikoff winner
- Ryan Broyles: 2010 & 2011 Biletnikoff finalist
- Jordan Shipley: 2009 Biletnikoff finalist
- Michael Crabtree: 2007 & 2008 Biletnikoff winner
- Jeremy Maclin: 2008 Biletnikoff finalist
- Dez Bryant: 2008 Biletnikoff finalist
- Jordy Nelson: 2007 Biletnikoff finalist
The 2017 Biletnikoff award winner as the nation’s top receiver, Washington had an impressive college career. As a true freshman, he led the Cowboys with six touchdowns receiving, and the next year he had the first of three straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns receiving. As a junior he was highly impressive with 1,408 yards and 10 touchdowns, and in 2017 of all the wideouts in college football he had the best combination of yardage and touchdowns with 1,561 and 14 in 13 games.
Built a little like Blackmon (6’1″ and 207 pounds), Washington played a Blackmon-esque role in head coach Mike Gundy’s offense, ranking second in the country last year with 3.59 yards per route and first with 20 deep receptions of 20-plus yards (Pro Football Focus). Washington didn’t test particularly well at the combine, but he’s athletic enough at his size, and he dominated Senior Bowl practices. With his size and production, Washington is likely to be selected with a top-100 pick. Washington is shorter than JuJu Smith-Schuster, but as a prospect he’s comparable to one of the steals of last year’s draft.
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Matthew Freedman is the Editor-in-Chief of FantasyLabs. He has a dog and sometimes a British accent. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he’s known only as The Labyrinthian.
Photo Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
