Malik Washington – May 10, 2024
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Friday, May 10, 2024
WR Malik Washington
(What was the criticism of you in the draft process despite how incredibly productive you were that you think made you fall to the sixth round that sort of fuels you that you have in the back of your mind?) – “Of course, I don’t know what every team is thinking and stuff like that. I know I’ve had some issues with injuries in the past, but I gave everything I had my last year. I gave everything I had my whole college career just to be in this spot. I’m so grateful to be a Miami Dolphin.”
(I know LB Mohamed Kamara and WR Tahj Washington were very candid on draft day saying people made a mistake by me falling to the third round. Do you feel that way as well?) – “I don’t think – there’s no mistakes. God has a plan for me and I’m following in that plan. That plan landed me in Miami, so I’m going to make the best of it.”
(What’s the NFL skill or the college skill that you have that you think is going to translate to this level? There were so many things you did well in terms of the hands being reliable, breaking tackles, yards after catch? Which of those translate most to this level do you think?) – “I think when you get to this level, everybody is fast, everybody can move and stuff like that. It will take who can be the best pro, who can learn the information as quickly as possible and utilize it on the field. I think that will be to my advantage, I’ll try my best to do that. I’ll study hard and take that to the NFL gameplan.”
(The fact that you were able to break so many tackles, 35 last year. Is it strong lower body? What is it that leads to that?) – “It’s a little bit of that. It’s a little bit of (head football strength and conditioning) Coach (Adam) Smotherman at Virginia, (director of sports performance for football) Coach (Jay) Hooten at Northwestern for being in the training room and the weight room and stuff. But it’s also just the mindset. I don’t think anybody can tackle me. I don’t want anybody to tackle me. I don’t want to touch the grass. Each time I get the ball, I’m trying to go score.”
(What do you think getting your first view of this? Were you here for a visit beforehand?) – “No.”
(Is this your first time in Miami? You probably played the Hurricanes?) – “I played Miami last year. I sat at Hard Rock Stadium.”
(What about the facilities and really spending some time here, what’s it been like for you so far?) – “I think it’s beautiful. I never got a chance to see it. So finally getting to see it up in person, it’s everything you dream of.”
(How does one go about leading college football in receptions?) – “It’s just a part of the game, that came with it. All I tried to do is make sure I caught every single pass that came my way. Made my quarterbacks right and if it ended up in 110 catches, it ended up in 110 catches.”
(What can you tell me about your route tree? What you feel most comfortable with and what you feel you can improve on?) – “I think there is a lot to improve and there’s a lot I’m comfortable with. It’s just getting a feel for the game, make sure I’m on time with the quarterback and stuff, make sure I know where I’m supposed to be and when I’m supposed to be there. Just make sure I stay on top of that.”
(What’s your impression of what competition will be, right now it’s just rookie minicamp, but going into your first OTAs, minicamp and eventually training camp?) – “In my mind, everybody here is a great player – the best of the best. So I just have to be better than the best of the best by just doing my job and doing my best. I think everybody here has earned the right to be here, so we’ll see who’s still here at the end.”
(What have you learned about competing from your college days?) – “Every single day is a competition, that’s what we kind of preached at Northwestern and Virginia. Just competing against the guy next to you, making that guy better, iron sharpens iron. So just bringing that to the NFL as well.”
(What’s that going to be like for you being a part of a star-studded receiving corps where you have WR Tyreek Hill, WR Jaylen Waddle, now you have WR Odell Beckham Jr. for that to be your rookie experience?) – “Just be a sponge. I got three guys ahead of me that are – they know what they are doing, they’ve done it before and they’ve had a lot of success at doing it. Being a sponge, taking in all of the information I can and trying to take it into my game as well.”
(Can you tell me about these last few days since you’ve been drafted and now getting into the process today putting on the jersey for the first time, what that experience is like and how you can describe this time in your life?) – “You guys tell me. How does this Dolphins jersey look on me? (laughter) It’s just been unreal. It’s been an experience that I dreamed of when I was six years old saying that I’m going to go to the NFL, and now it’s actually here. So it’s just time to put on the cleats, strap it up and go.”
(I know you haven’t caught passes from him yet, but watching film of this Dolphins offense the past couple of years what are you thoughts on working with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Tua is one of the most accurate passers in the NFL. He does his job. The 10 guys around him doing their jobs, so I’ve got to be one of those 10 guys that just come in, make sure I’m on time, make sure I am where I’m supposed to be and make him right.”
(Has he reached out to you at all since you’ve been drafted? Trying to maybe set up a session or a training practice with you?) – “Yeah, I got a chance to throw with him a little bit earlier in the week. Really good dude, does things right. I’m excited to see what this leads to.”
(I saw the Steve Smith podcast you did, I was a big fan of that. I was just curious what you take took from that whole experience?) – “I was talking to one of the greats. One of the guys that I’ve watched his film. I’ve watched him play the game, that’s who I like to model my game after. So taking some of that criticism, catching that ball and getting straight vertical. Knowing the tempo and timing of routes, I think that’s important, especially when you get to this level where everybody is fast, everybody plays hard and everybody is quick.”
(He was talking about how he thinks you’re ready right now for the timing and pacing of routes. How do you think that came to be for your skillset? How do you develop that craft?) – “I think that’s staying in the room with your quarterback, staying comfortable and having a consistent relationship with the OC, the quarterbacks and stuff like that. Just knowing where they want you to be and what they want, because that’s how you make plays.”
(Have you been in touch with Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith, Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker, all the coaches you’ve been working with today?) – “Yes.”
(How’s it going so far?) – “Good. I think they all know what they are doing. Now it’s just my turn to be a sponge.”
(I know this is looking far ahead, but what do you think you’re going to have to do in the next few months to carve out some kind of role as a rookie in an offense that already has WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle, and now had added WR Odell Beckham Jr.?) – “I think the biggest two things I’d have to do is be consistent and stack days, stack meetings, stack practices. Stack everything I can. So just every single day, give it everything I’ve got. Being myself and hopefully that will be good enough to lead my down the road to be on the 53.”
