Chris Washington signed with the Miami football program in the Class of 2020 as a three-star offensive tackle. Washington is considered to be a long term project.
Chris Washington signed with the Miami football program as part of the Class of 2020 as the 947th ranked player overall, the 75th ranked offensive tackle and 27th player in Tennessee out of Nashville. Washington is a long term project for the Hurricanes who is expected to redshirt in 2020.
At 6’7, 268 pounds, the Miami football coaching staff likes the length that Washington will provide the Hurricanes at tackle. Washington projects to be a player that adds depth with the ceiling of potentially challenging to be a starter in a few years. The 2020 season will be for Washington to work on technique and add muscle.
Washington is one of three freshmen offensive tackles in the Class of 2020. Issaiah Walker and Jalen Rivers were four-star signees who project as the bookend tackles of the future for Miami. Walker might have to sit out the 2020 season after spending the spring semester at Florida.
Rivers has the potential to move inside depending on the needs of the Miami offensive line. With a rating of .8552, Washington was the lowest-rated signee for Miami in the Class of 2020. New offensive line coach Garin Justice is high on the long-range potential of Washington and compared him to Rivers.
"“Chris is a guy that he walks in the door and doesn’t have the size Jalen (Rivers) does right away, but he has such a high upside and such a high ceiling with his long frame…He’s a guy who is going to be a really good-looking tackle in a year or two once he develops in the weight room.”"
Justice is clearly looking at the need to be patient with Washington and reiterating the maxim from Manny Diaz and the rest of the Miami football staff about length. It is an attribute the Hurricanes look for in nearly every position on the roster. You cannot teach height and length and it is prevalent in most positions for Miami.
As a long term, developmental player, Washington has a high upside as stated by Justice. At the worst, he becomes a player that adds solid depth to the Miami football roster. With positive development, Washington could become a starter in two to three seasons depending on what positions other OL play.