James Washington: ‘I Want To Be the Next That Everyone Remembers’

Has Tailback U. transformed itself into Wide Receiver U.? There’s a pretty good cast to be made for that as James Washington has succeeded Justin Blackmon who succeeded Dez Bryant who succeeded Rashaun Woods who succeeded Hart Lee Dykes.

The latter four were all first round picks. The first one, President Washington, likely will be a year from now. No. 28 has been written about ad nauseam, but sometimes it feels like we’re underrating what he’s done.

Washington has a chance to become just the sixth player since 2000 to have a career yards-per-reception average at 20 or higher. It is currently at 19.2 through three years and 152 receptions. As Kyle Cox wrote about earlier this year, he also has a decent chance to hold a few of the all-time receiving records in Stillwater including Rashaun’s 4,414 career yards.

That’s a number I didn’t think would be touched, but Washington, at 3,204 yards, is circling it.

“One of the reasons I came to Oklahoma State is because they’ve had so many years of great receivers come through here,” Washington told ESPN in a terrific profile recently. “I want to be the next that everyone remembers.”

One of his predecessors weighed in on The President’s talents.

“[Washington] catches the ball at the highest point,” Hart Lee Dykes added to ESPN. “Most of the catches he makes downfield, they’re difficult catches. But he makes them look routine.”

He’s right about that part.

We all know just how good this team and this player can be, but it’s fun to hear it from Washington himself. The mild-mannered, small town hero rarely says a word (according to The Mullet) so to listen to him talk about becoming an all-timer at a place that has produced some pretty awesome all-timers is outstanding.

The only unfortunate part? We have to wait four more months to watch it all play out.