Report: NCAA investigation shows Tennessee paid Darnell Washington prior to Georgia commitment

Before he became a key part of the offense at Georgia, tight end Darnell Washington was a highly sought-after recruit during the 2020 recruiting cycle. He received plenty of interest — including from Tennessee, where he was recruited by a staff led by Jeremy Pruitt.

Pruitt, of course, was fired in light of NCAA violations. One of the alleged violations was an assistant coach giving recruits money. As it turns out, Washington was one of them, according to a report from the Knoxville News Sentinel.

The Knox News’ Mike Wilson reported Washington received money from then-assistant Brian Niedermeyer during the recruitment process. Niedermeyer was one of the many Pruitt assistants implicated in the NCAA’s investigation and received a five-year show-cause penalty as a result.

During Washington’s recruitment, Niedermeyer apparently delivered cash in a parking lot and accompanied Washington’s family on the flight to his official visit, according to the Knox News.

Washington was a five-star recruit and the No. 24-ranked recruit from the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He, of course, ended up committing to Georgia and helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back national titles. This past May, Washington was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Brian Niedermeyer was one of many Tennessee assistants to receive show-cause penalties after NCAA investigation

In July 2022, Tennessee received a Notice of Allegations regarding 18 violations against the program during Pruitt’s time at the helm. It included an allegation of $60,000 in cash or gifts given to football recruits or players by Pruitt, his wife, numerous coaches, staff and boosters. All 18 of the violations are Level I violations. Level I is the most severe infraction on the scale from one through four.

The NCAA alleged Pruitt and staff gave players cash and gifts throughout his tenure in Knoxville, which spanned from 2018 to 2021. The report also details that his wife, Casey Pruitt, paid more than $15,000 in rent and car payments for a Tennessee player and his mother. That arrangement reportedly went on for two and a half years.

The NCAA announced the penalties against Tennessee on Friday nearly a year after initially receiving the Notice of Allegations. The Volunteers didn’t receive a bowl ban, but will pay an $8 million fine and Pruitt received a six-year show-cause penalty. A show-cause penalty means a school will have present reasons to the NCAA why it wants to hire one of them to its staff during that time period.

Last year, four Pruitt assistants — Niedermeyer, outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton, director of player personnel Drew Hughes and student assistant coach Michael Magness — received show-cause penalties ranging from three to five years.

On3’s Steve Samra contributed to this report.