Baltimore Ravens: Ar’Darius Washington a top undrafted free agent steal

The Baltimore Ravens are no strangers to getting great value in the NFL Draft on an annual basis. Whether Ozzie Newsome or Eric DeCosta is doing the drafting, the Baltimore Ravens are one of the best organizations in the league at drafting and developing guys in their own program.

Even if they have to find guys after the NFL Draft, the Ravens get the job done.

As a matter of fact, when it comes to the 2021 NFL Draft class, the Baltimore Ravens may have signed the top undrafted free agent of all — TCU safety Ar’Darius Washington.

Guys slip through the cracks for a number of valid reasons, but a player like Washington probably shouldn’t have made it to the undrafted player pool, regardless of his size limitations.

At 5-foot-8, 176 pounds, Washington is one of the smallest safeties in the league, no question about it. That lack of size certainly contributed to his fall in the 2021 NFL Draft, as did the fact that he had zero interceptions in 2020 after picking off five passes in the 2019 season.

Still, despite his size and dip in production in 2020, Washington is a ball-hawk who can contribute for the Baltimore Ravens as a deep safety, nickel corner, dime ‘backer, and special teams player. He plays bigger than his listed size because he has to, and he does it consistently.

Despite his lack of elite size, Washington’s explosiveness and quickness metrics were above average or elite. He doesn’t have the kind of straight-line speed you might expect from someone who is 5-foot-8, under 180 pounds, but how many guys at 5-foot-8, 176 pounds can bench press 225 pounds 17 times?

That kind of strength shows the heart this player has and the work he puts in to have functional play strength.

As Tyrann Mathieu has proven over time, your size and pre-draft metrics don’t necessarily dictate whether or not you can be an effective NFL defensive back. Mathieu came into the league at 5-foot-9, 186 pounds, and he didn’t have the same type of explosiveness metrics we see from Washington.

That’s not to say Washington will be the next Tyrann Mathieu, but as good as the Baltimore Ravens are at developing guys, and considering their need at safety, Washington should end up being a big-time steal as an undrafted player.