Getty Ar'Darius Washington forces an end zone fumble.
The Baltimore Ravens have made finding key depth reinforcements a goal for years, and once again in 2021, they have gotten it done in a subtle way.
This offseason, the team added a crop of solid undrafted free agents following the draft, and perhaps the best was safety Ar’Darius Washington. Washington was one of the top players to go undrafted, so when the Ravens landed him for the secondary, it was a case of the rich getting richer.
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That fact certainly isn’t lost on Alex Kay of Bleacher Report. The writer took a look at identifying the most exciting UDFA players on every team, and when it came to the Ravens, Washington was the answer. Not only is the defender exciting, however, he’s got a good shot of landing on the roster in Kay’s mind.
As for why, he wrote:
“The Ravens brought in some of the best undrafted free agent rookies available, a crop of talent that includes a standout safety in Ar’Darius Washington.
While Washington is undersized for his position—standing a mere 5’8″ and weighing 176 pounds—he didn’t let that stop him from becoming an impact defender in college. At TCU, he teamed with second-round pick Trevon Moehrig to form one of the most potent safety duos in the country.
Washington possesses fantastic instincts and plays hard, qualities that allow him to overcome the limitations of his frame. He makes plays all over the field and has cited Tyrann Mathieu as an influence and whom he models his game after, even getting the same crown tattoo as the Honey Badger.
While it’s unlikely Washington will be the game-changer Mathieu is, he should earn a rotational role behind starters DeShon Elliott and Chuck Clark. Expect teams with larger wideouts to try to pick on him, but Washington has the tenacity to battle anyone and win.”
When the draft ended, Washington was on most lists as the best player left on the board, so to see him go undrafted was a major shock. The Ravens have a solid secondary, but they could be looking at having another elite piece in Washington for the future if he can put it all together as expected.
Washington Named NFL’s Best UDFA Player
Typically one of the more active teams in undrafted free agency, the Ravens struck to add one of the best players of the period in safety Ar’Darius Washington out of TCU. Most believed Washington was one of the better players left on the board, but he wasn’t picked.
The Ravens managed to be the ones to scoop Washington up for their defense, and as a result, scored a huge win in the mind of Pro Football Focus. Writer Zach Tantillo picked out Washington as the top overall undrafted free agent rookie signing in the NFL this year.
He wrote:
“Ranked as the No. 57 overall prospect on PFF’s 2021 NFL Draft Big Board, Washington was the top player remaining when the seventh round concluded Saturday evening.
At 5-foot-8, 178 pounds, Washington is undersized for a safety, but that has yet to stop him from wreaking havoc in the secondary. He was PFF’s second-highest-graded safety in 2019 (91.7), with Mike Renner comping him to Super Bowl champion Tyrann Mathieu in PFF’s 2021 NFL Draft Guide.
Baltimore wasted no time signing the TCU product, adding him to an already elite Ravens secondary. His versatility should be a fine addition to Baltimore’s defense, as Washington played 100-plus snaps covering deep, in the box and the slot in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons.”
Washington had a very productive career at TCU, putting up 86 tackles and 5 interceptions. He’s shown some raw talent at times, so it’s nice for the Ravens to be able to add such a player to their roster that they can develop for the future. He might prove to be a steal in the end.
Ravens Secondary Deep and Crowded
If Washington is to make the team, it’s going to be an uphill climb for the safety out of TCU. The Ravens have plenty of solid players at safety including Chuck Clark, DeShon Elliott, Jordan Richards, Brandon Stephens, Geno Stone and Anthony Levine. That’s a fairly loaded group, so in order to stand out and make the roster, Washington is going to have to come into camp on a mission and play well from the start.
Even if Washington doesn’t make the roster, it will be fascinating to see if he cracks the practice squad. Either that or making the roster could be a good possibility for Washington all things being equal.
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