Oklahoma CB Woodi Washington announces he'll return for a sixth season
What had once seemed improbable is now official: Oklahoma cornerback Woodi Washington is turning down the NFL yet again and will utilize his final year of eligibility in an Oklahoma uniform.
Washington, a four-year starter for the Sooners, has 36 career starts to his credit. Had he elected to leave, the 5-foot-11, 192-pound standout from Murfreesboro, Tenn. would have left major shoes to fill in the OU secondary. Rising sophomores Jasiah Wagoner, Jacobe Johnson and Makari Vickers were expected to compete with San Diego State transfer Dez Malone for the spot that Washington long occupied. But instead, Washington will be back for one last run in the crimson and cream, presumably to reprise his starting role at cornerback opposite Gentry Williams.
Washington is the final link to the Mike Stoops era of defense at Oklahoma, as he was the lone remaining Sooner who committed to the program while Stoops was still the defensive coordinator. The former four-star recruit pledged to Oklahoma over Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Florida State, Oregon and numerous other Power 5 programs in July of 2018. Although Stoops was relieved of his duties three months later, Washington's commitment to the Sooners remained steadfast. He signed with OU as the No. 51 overall player and No. 7 cornerback in the class of 2019.
As a true freshman in 2019, Washington took advantage of the NCAA's newly implemented four-game redshirt provision, as he made 15 tackles across four appearances while preserving a year of eligibility. He dabbled at safety early in the 2020 season, but earned a starting role at cornerback midway through the year and soon emerged as the Sooners' top outside defender. He recorded 45 tackles, four pass breakups and two interceptions in the abbreviated 2020 campaign.
A nagging groin injury limited Washington to just six games in the 2021 season, after which he strongly considered entering the NFL draft and forgoing his final three years of eligibility. However, Brent Venables' hiring helped dispel a defensive malaise in Norman and gave Washington ample motivation to return in 2022. He started all 13 games, logged six pass breakups and picked off one pass. At season's end, he again passed up the opportunity to turn pro and returned for his fifth year at Oklahoma.
By 2023, Washington had gained a reputation as one of the Power 5's most reliable cover corners, and he wasn't challenged often by opponents. He finished the season with 48 tackles and seven pass breakups.
With Washington and Billy Bowman back in the fold, the Sooners bring back the vast majority of their talent in the secondary, as the only pending departures from the two-deep are safeties Key Lawrence (transferred to Ole Miss) and Reggie Pearson (graduating). Washington, Bowman, Williams, Kendel Dolby and Peyton Bowen all made starts for Oklahoma in 2023, and rising junior Robert Spears-Jennings is poised for a larger role as well. The Sooners will also boast a healthy Justin Harrington, who began the 2023 season as the starting cheetah before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. Harrington is expected to be granted an NCAA medical hardship waiver for a seventh year of eligibility, and the belief is that he'll be ready to resume full football activities by the beginning of the spring practice session.
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