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Adolphus Washington, DL, Ohio State: 2016 NFL Draft scouting report

By Kyle Sumner McKinnon

Sep 7, 2015; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Adolphus Washington (92) lines up against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2015; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Adolphus Washington (92) lines up against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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After receiving a citation back in December, will Adolphus Washington still be one of the first 50 players to be selected in the draft?

A dominant force over the past two years at Ohio State, senior Adolphus Washington cemented his status as one of the best defensive tackles in the draft after a career season. Soon after the Buckeyes defeat of Michigan in the team’s regular season finale, Washington was “cited by the city of Columbus police with a first-degree misdemeanor charge of solicitation.”

This obviously has taken a hit on his draft stock, but is it enough for Washington to drop out of the first 50 players to be selected? Here, we answer that question, and take a closer look to see if the former Buckeyes’ talent can overcome a lone hiccup.

Oct 25, 2014; University Park, PA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Adolphus Washington (92) celebrates after sacking Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) in the fourth quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2014; University Park, PA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Adolphus Washington (92) celebrates after sacking Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) in the fourth quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

Vitals

Ht: 6-4

Wt: 290 pounds

Class: Senior

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Strengths

Equipped with a tall, bulky framed, Washington moves very fluidly for a lineman of his size, creating tons of disruption at the line of scrimmage. His size, quickness, and strength can be overwhelming, and will command double teams at the next level. The durable Washington found himself in opposing backfields on a weekly basis in 2015 and developed a more refined nose for the ball. On the season, he collected a career-high 49 tackles (seven were for a loss), four sacks, a forced fumble, and a pick-six.

Weaknesses

There are moments in Washington’s game when he isn’t as technically sound, costing him ground and, at times, the point of attack. The former Ohio State standout needs to improve upon his already impressive skillset and iron out the small technical kinks in his game. His on-the-field performance the past two years really has been superb. It’s off of the gridiron that scouts are concerned with.

Verdict

In a draft that is absolutely brimming with talented defensive tackles, Washington stands out in the upper tier.

Sure, he experienced some turbulence at season’s end, many young college students have. Washington made a mistake, and it’s up to him to learn from it and move on.

Simply put, Washington’s citation seems to be an isolated incident that won’t greatly, if at all, impact his draft stock come April.

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