Washington Listed Among College Football's Elite
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Rivals.com is counting down its Top 100 players for the upcoming 2011 college football season and Canes offensive lineman Brandon Washington has made the list at No. 85.
Washington, an All-ACC First Team performer in 2010, returns one of the key cogs in an experienced and talented Miami offensive line that also includes veterans Tyler Horn, Harland Gunn and Jermaine Johnson, as well as up-and-comers Seantrel Henderson and Malcolm Bunche.
Rivals.com states that “`Top’ doesn’t necessarily mean the most pro potential or even the most talent. Instead, it’s a mix of what the player has accomplished and how we think the player will do this season. But production does trump potential.”
Washington started all 13 games for the Canes at right guard as a sophomore last season. He recorded 56 pancakes, 11 lumberjacks and was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week on two occasions (at Duke, 10/16; vs. Virginia Tech, 11/20).
His best performance – and the best performance of any UM offensive lineman all season – came at Pittsburgh on Sept. 23, where he graded out at 99 percent in a 31-3 victory for the Hurricanes.
The Top 100 player countdown is determined by Rivals.com writers Olin Buchanan, Tom Dienhart, David Fox, Mike Huguenin and Steve Megargee.
Here is what Rivals has to say about Washington:
THE BUZZ: Washington was about as close to perfect as a lineman can get in a 31-3 rout of Pittsburgh last year, as he graded out at 99 percent. But he’s no one-game wonder; he was named the ACC offensive lineman of the week twice despite not getting honored after the Pitt game. Washington also earned first-team All-ACC honors and could emerge as the league’s top overall offensive lineman in 2011.
