Late Round Gem

by Bo Marchionte
@bomarchionte | College2Pro.com
Published March 24, 2026, 5:45 PM

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Last summer, Jarod Washington didn’t have a place to stay in Atlanta. No apartment. No safety net. Just a gym floor, a futon, and heat that didn’t let up. He trained all day and slept there at night.

He doesn’t volunteer it.

“Like I slept in a gym last year all summer because I had nowhere to stay in Atlanta,” Washington said. “I worked out every single day and slept in the gym. You’d never know that because I’ve never told you about that.”

And he didn’t tell teams either when sitting in the one-on-one interview process at the East West Shrine Bowl.

“Nah, I don’t look for that type attention.”

Washington isn’t for sympathy. He just wants teams to know that at 6-foot-2 and 191 pounds, he’s legit.

Loose hips. Mirrors clean. Stays attached downfield.

Range to play high, toughness to roll down watching his tape during morning coffee was the best part of my day until we spoke and I got to know this young man much wiser than his age of just 23.

Run support shows up on tape keys it, closes, and strikes. Against Wofford, he tracks a back out of the flat and unloads at midfield. That’s not effort. That’s the wiring of a guy who slept in gym with no AC in Hot-Lanta!

Ball production matches it.

21 PBUs in 2025, helped him earn the 2025 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year award, while previously spending nights on a futon.

Washington credits his brother (seven years older) who played quarterback and helped team him the tendencies of the position. That coincides with his ability to make reads through the receiver, breaks early, beats routes to the spot. Consistent.

He’ll tell you straight away.

“A lot of people say it but a lot of people can’t do it,” said Washington. “I can play anywhere. Free safety, strong safety. I actually came to South Carolina State to play strong safety, but they needed some corners. So, I was like, I’ll play.”

From JUCO at Benedict to MEAC Defensive Player of the Year at South Carolina State. East West Shrine Bowl and HBCU Legacy Bowl.

Turn on the tape.

This is what a long shot looks like… Right before he isn’t one.

Photo Credit Frank Hyatt/College2Pro.com