What if last year's cornerback choice in Donald Washington could make the switch to safety?
Maybe that's giving up a bit too quickly on Washington coming into his own at the cornerback position. After all, it's only his second year this season at the NFL level. Plus, all sources contended the Ohio State product even came out too early from college, never getting a chance to hone his craft at the collegiate level. So perhaps a couple more years of development should be given before we even talk about moving him to a new position.
Then again, it was Washington's incredible athleticism and big-play ability that got him here in the first place. Various scouting sources noted his ability to stop the run and he's a strong hitter whose athleticism can create turnovers all over the field. At 6'0", 197 lbs., he's nearly the exact same size as Ed Reed (5'11", 200 lbs), Bob Sanders (5'8", 201 lbs) and Brian Dawkins (6'0", 210 lbs), so his size is nearly ideal for the safety spot, and several scouting sources also noted his ability to quickly grasp the game -- making such a transition possible.
There's been much discussion on the need for a playmaker at the safety position, and that's exactly what most draft pundits and scouts described as the key asset for Donald Washington -- his athletic ability to make the big play. He returned both collegiate interceptions for touchdowns and had tremendous results in both the broad jump and high jump at the combine. Of course, this doesn't mean that outside help isn't necessary, as everyone would agree that the Chiefs should seek help at safety in the draft. But with the depth the Chiefs have at cornerback, perhaps Washington's best possibility of breaking through on the field could be at the safety position.
