Darnell Washington already has made his college decision, and he finalized his choice during this week's Early Signing Period.
He's just not ready to announce where he's going.
The five-star Class of 2020 tight end/athlete from Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas told ESPNU on Friday night that he already has signed with the school of his choice, but he won't be revealing his decision until Jan. 2 at the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Fla.
The 6-foot-7.5, 261-pound Washington was in attendance Friday night at Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High School to see Marietta (Ga.) High School — a team led by four-star Tennessee quarterback signee Harrison Bailey and five-star LSU tight end signee Arik Gilbert — take on Eastern Catholic High School of Sammamish, Wash., as part of the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series.
Washington spoke with the ESPNU broadcast crew at halftime of Friday's game and confirmed that, while he's still uncommitted publicly, his college decision already has been made. And he officially signed with a school at some point during this week's Early Signing Period, which started Wednesday morning and ended Friday night.
"Well, I put the pen to the paper, too. But just I didn't announce," Washington told ESPNU. "Just January 2nd — that's when it's going to come out."
He's ranked the No. 10 overall prospect and No. 1 athlete in the 2020 class, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
Washington has taken official visits to Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Miami and Florida, and he said Sunday following his official visit to Tennessee last weekend that he was considering "pretty much my top five" as he prepared to make his decision.
The 247Sports Crystal Ball has pointed to Georgia for months as the team to beat for Washington, and 83 percent of the current predictions still point to the Bulldogs as the team to beat for him, with Alabama also getting 8 percent.
Following his trip to Tennessee last weekend, Washington told GoVols247 that he would be "signing on Wednesday," the first day of the Early Signing Period, and keeping his decision a secret until his scheduled announcement at the Under Armour All-America Game.
Earlier this week, he gave conflicting signals on his Twitter account regarding whether he would stick with that plan.
On Tuesday, Washington indicated that he would be handling things differently.
"Mind is made. Not signing tomorrow," he tweeted at the time.
But Washington's most recent tweet Wednesday afternoon consisted of only two emojis — a piece of paper and a pen — hinting that he might have changed his mind about whether to sign this week. And he confirmed Friday night that his college decision now is behind him.
His visit with the Vols last weekend was at least his fifth trip to Knoxville, although he said Sunday that "this is my sixth time coming here."
Washington, who's being recruited to play tight end by all five of his finalists, visited Tennessee for the first time in June 2018 and has returned to Knoxville at least four times this year. He visited the Vols in late March for one of their spring practices, again in late July and made the trip again the weekend of Nov. 2 for their homecoming game against UAB.
He's being recruited for Tennessee by tight ends coach Brian Niedermeyer, who was named the 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year for the 2019 class. Washington's close relationship with Niedermeyer is among the reasons he has continued to give the Vols strong consideration.
"Since I was a sophomore, he’s been recruiting me," Washington said of Niedermeyer on Sunday. "He’s not one of them coaches that offered me and then, some schools, they just stopped talking to me, stopped recruiting me. Him, it was different. He kept coming at me.
"I just built a strong relationship with him."
Tennessee announced 21 signees on Wednesday but has yet to sign a tight end or receive a commitment from a projected tight end in the 2020 class.
"waiting" - Google News
December 21, 2019 at 01:13PM
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Five-star Washington signs early, waiting to announce - 247Sports
"waiting" - Google News
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