Elliot Washington set for Florida meet-and-greet, NIL event
Penn State football’s busy weekend for NIL appearances includes multiple stops in Scranton and State College. From the player-led Nittany Lion Summer Impact camp to meet-and-greets locally, options are plentiful for fans.
The NIL events also aren’t limited to Pennsylvania.
Announced this week, the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association is hosting true freshman cornerback Elliot Washington on Sunday afternoon. Meeting with fans, signing autographs, and taking photos, the Venice High School product will be right at home at the event in Sarasota, Fla., just a 30-minute drive from his hometown.
The event is set for Evie’s On Main in downtown Sarasota and will run from noon until 3 p.m. And, according to the promotion announcing the event, costs are $25 per attendee, with the proceeds exclusively benefiting Washington’s NIL fund.
Elliot Washington early reviews
Based on early reviews of Washington’s first semester on Penn State’s campus, the future is bright for the 5-foot-11, 192-pound cornerback. Rated as a four-star prospect by On3, the Industry Rankings had him at No. 164 overall in the Class of 2023. He also held rankings of No. 19 among all corners and No. 37 overall in the state of Florida.
Within weeks of his arrival, Washington demonstrated the high assessments as fitting.
According to cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, Washington quickly showed, alongside fellow true freshman Lamont Payne Jr., that he was likely going to play a role on Penn State’s defense this season.
“Elliot and Lamont, those guys have a chance to be part of the travel squad,” Smith said in April. “They are our future. They’re going to be outstanding football players.
“We thought both were good coming in. But, they’re probably a little better than I thought at this point in their career.”
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Next steps
The sentiment was echoed throughout the Nittany Lion program this spring and summer.
Head coach James Franklin acknowledged that he’d used Washington as an example for his effort in front of the entire team during a pre-practice meeting during spring practice. And, defensive end Chop Robinson, himself a highly anticipated force at defensive end ahead of the 2023 season, turned to Washington as one of the younger players he’s been most impressed by.
“I would also include Eliott Washington. Seeing him in the spring, he actually looked pretty good,” Robinson said. “He kind of looked like a vet already. I think once he gets more comfortable, he’ll be a great player.”
If Smith’s assertions are any indication, that comfort level could be established relatively quickly for Washington this season.
At a position brimming with talent, headlined by Kalen King and Johnny Dixon, with Daequan Hardy and Cam Miller also vying for playing time, Smith pointed to both Washington and Tracy as likely candidates to find the field this season.
“There’s not a demand to put them on the field right now because of what we have. But, they’re going to play this fall,” Smith said. “So, we just got to figure out to what degree. We’re really, really happy with those guys.”
