CHICAGO — Adolphus Washington didn’t hear the discussion. In fact, he wasn’t even aware it was going on.
“I didn’t even know I was being talked about for the NFL,” Ohio State’s senior defensive tackle said Thursday at Big Ten Media Days. “That’s how I knew I wasn’t ready.”
By all accounts, though, last year he was ready. Many scouts and NFL Draft experts pegged Washington to go somewhere between the second and fourth rounds in the Draft had he opted to declare after his junior season, one which Washington recorded 48 tackles (10.5 for loss), and 4.5 sacks.
Still, Washington elected to return to the Buckeyes. He stated multiple times at the end of last season’s national championship run he had no intentions of leaving early for the NFL and explained again Thursday why he opted to use his final year of eligibility in Columbus.
“I didn’t feel like I was ready, I didn’t feel like I was ready at all,” Washington said. “I feel like I needed to get another year under coach Johnson. For a guy that’s coached as many first rounders as he has, I feel like I definitely needed another year under him.”
His return in the middle of Ohio State’s defensive line was huge, too, as the Buckeyes aim to win back-to-back national championships. He, along with All-American defensive end Joey Bosa (despite Bosa’s one-game suspension to start the season) form one of college football’s most dangerous duos along the defensive line.
But when Washington was asked by a reporter how he would describe his career to this point, the Cincinnati native used the word “decent.” It was somewhat of a shocking remark considering the type of talent and impact player Washington is for the Buckeyes, but he opted for that specific word because of the high level of expectations Washington has for himself.
“I expect so much out of myself that sometimes I think it hurts me. I feel like I’ve only had a decent career,” Washington said. “I don’t think nobody wants decent. I may be a little bit hard on myself, I’ve probably had more than a decent career, but there’s been times when — like my sophomore year when I was starting and got hurt, it was hard for me to bounce back.”
Washington bounced back in a big way, though, and attributes a lot of his rise to success to Buckeyes’ defensive line coach Larry Johnson. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Washington said it’s not really a coincidence his “coming out party” last season was in Johnson’s first year as his position coach.
“Being under coach Johnson last year, he definitely took my game to another level,” Washington said. “Just to get a whole offseason with him, it’s been great. I’ve got a lot better with my hands, a lot better with my footwork, with my hips and I’m just eager to get in that football equipment and see it all come together.”
The NFL is the next step for Washington. For now, though, his focus is on his final season at Ohio State.
After all, he turned down the shot to declare early and play at the next level for one more season in the scarlet and gray.
