Malik Washington – April 27, 2024
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
WR Malik Washington
(I saw you led all receivers last year with broken tackles after the catch. In the past head coach Mike McDaniel has talked about the importance of YAC in this offense. I’m curious how you feel that your strengths in that area fits with Miami?) – “I think the way that they run their offense, the motions, the different ways they use people to get open and allow them to be themselves, allow them to work, I think that is very beneficial to me. Just getting a chance to find some underneath routes, find some ways to get open and let that YAC – a big piece of my game – and let that shine through.”
(Reading some of the stuff scouts have said about your game, they compliment your toughness. I’m curious how that was cultivated in your past. How did you get to that reputation of being a tough player?) – “Some of that stuff you can’t cultivate, you have to be born with it. You have to be born with a certain mindset, a certain toughness, and I feel like ever since I started playing football, that’s just how I played. That’s how I play the game, that’s how I see the game. It’s going to be hardnosed. You’re going to have to stick your nose in there and get dirty sometimes.”
(Playing in the slot, you were just talking about toughness. Tell me how that toughness comes into play? You’re going in a lot of traffic and having to fight a lot of people off?) – “Like you said traffic, there’s going to be linebackers, corners and safeties in play when you’re running your routes and catching the ball, just being ready for that. I think it’s a since of urgency you have to have. You have to have some awareness to know where guys are coming from, but that toughness is going to shine through once you catch that ball, once you’re going over the middle. That’s something that’s got to be huge in my game.”
(A lot of guys drafted on Day 3 need to have some special teams abilities. What’s your special teams background, have you checked into the new special teams rules? Have you checked into it a little bit to see how you might fit in there?) – “Yes, of course. I’ve seen the new rule change and I think I can be beneficial there. But I also think wherever the coaches put me, wherever they place me I’m ready to go, I’m ready to attack. Whatever role they give me, just do my best at it, make the most of it.”
(Have you played special teams? High school or college?) – “Yes, in high school I was the punt returner for four years, and in college I did some kick return.”
(Looking at your numbers you had a good last two years at Northwestern and then exploded that one year at Virginia. What clicked for you there when you transferred over to Tony Elliott’s system? What was that moment that everything just seemed to come together for you?) – “I think what you’ll see in kind of those trends is just every year, we’re getting better and better. Finding ways to get open, finding different ways to play the game, finding different thing about myself, gaining some confidence. I also think transitioning over to a Tony Elliott and Des Kitchings offense, they allowed me to be that player. They allowed me to be the central piece to that offense, and I think when we did that, got me the ball in space, got me the ball in the ways I felt like was best at, we saw an increase in numbers. We saw an increase in volume, and we saw a better product than we had years before.”
(You were a central focal point in Virginia. You’re joining an offense that’s already got WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle, as you’re well aware. Based on your conversations with Head Coach Mike McDaniel and General Manager Chris Grier. Where does your skillset fit into an offense that has so many guys that can do so many special things with the ball in their hands?) – “I’m sure I’ll get with the coaches and we’ll talk more about specific roles and stuff like that, but I’m joining the best receiver room in the NFL. I’m joining Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle – guys that have proven themselves, guys that have just done a great job at being receivers, done a great job at being a great ballcarriers and great people as well. If you’ve ever seen them, I think what I have to do is come in, learn from those guys, take it all in and earn my way, earn my keep.”
(On WR Tyreek Hill, can you speak more on what you know about him as a player, how much you watched him growing up? Do you model your game at all after him?) – “It’s kind of hard to model your game after that guy when he’s running up and down the field and stuff – not many people can do what he can do. But just the toughness, the size, of course, the speed, the way he plays the game, you can tell he plays with an attitude. He plays with an edge. That’s something that you have to take in. Especially as a rookie, you’ve got to come in right away and take heed to that, learn from that and figure out ways to work alongside him. Figure out ways to learn and follow in his footsteps.”
(I wanted to ask about your pre-draft process and the meetings you had with the Dolphins or maybe didn’t have with the Dolphins. Just your pre-draft interactions with Head Coach Mike McDaniel, General Manager Chris Grier, and the rest of the Dolphins staff?) – “We talked a little bit. I don’t want to get into specifics of what we talked about, but just know it was good.”
