2021 Draft Hub | Washington Football Team - WashingtonFootball.com

Jahan (pronounced juh-HAHN) Dotson made an outstanding one-handed catch against Ohio State during the 2020 season, saying afterward: "I approach that (ball) as a million dollars. It's a million dollars in the air. If you want it, you go get it." Big Ten coaches appreciated his financial acumen, voting him third-team all-conference at receiver (PSU leader with 52 receptions, 884 yards, eight scores with 17.0 yards per catch in nine starts) and honorable mention as a punt returner (8-197-24.6, one TD). Dotson capped off his career with 2021 third-team Associated Press All-American and second-team All-Big Ten accolades at receiver, leading Penn State with 91 receptions and 1,182 receiving yards and tying for eighth in the country with 12 receiving scores in 12 starts (opted out of the team's bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft). He also received third-team all-league notice for his return abilities (14-104-7.4 punt returns). Dotson initially committed to UCLA as a top 150 overall recruit nationally but eventually decided to stay close to Nazareth, where he grew up. He played in eight games (12-203-15.6) with starts in the final four contests as a true freshman before starting all 13 appearances in 2019 (27-488-18.1, five TDs; 2-39-19.5 punt returns). Gloria Bigelow, Dotson's grandmother, with whom he was very close, passed away in April 2020. He wears a T-shirt with her image on the front for each game. -- by Chad Reuter

Phidarian (pronounced fuh-DARE-ee-un) Mathis wears the No. 48 jersey as a tribute to his cousin, Tyrell Cameron, who died after suffering a neck injury on a punt return while in high school. The top-40 overall recruit signed with Alabama before the 2017 season, during which he redshirted as the team won a national title. SEC coaches saw enough of Mathis in 2018 to name him to the All-Freshman Team (18 tackles in 15 games as a reserve). He showed more flashes of talent as a sophomore, racking up 27 tackles in 12 games (two starts). Mathis started six contests in the Tide's FBS championship 2020 season, playing in all 13 contests (31 tackles, five for loss and 1.5 sacks, three pass breakups). He earned second-team All-SEC accolades in 2021, recording a career-high 53 tackles, 12 for loss and nine sacks, and two pass breakups in 15 games (12 starts). Mathis has a daughter, Kyle Rae, who was born in February 2020. -- by Chad Reuter

Robinson was a top-100 recruit who decided to stay in his hometown to play for the Tide. Unfortunately, he was buried on the Tide's depth chart behind Damien Harris, Najee Harris, Josh Jacobs and Bo Scarbrough. He received limited carries in the Tide's 2017 national title run (24-165-6.9, two TDs in 11 games) and in 2018 (63-272-4.3, two TDs in 15 games). Robinson was a bit more active his junior year (96-441-4.6, five TDs rushing; 11-124-11.3 receiving) in 13 games. He backed up All-American Najee Harris during the team's national title run in 2020 (91-483-5.3, six TDs rushing; 6-26-4.3 receiving), giving the team one of the best running back duos in the country. Robinson became the team's go-to runner in 2021, carrying the ball nearly as many times in 14 starts (271) as he had the previous four years combined (274), covering 1,343 yards (5.0 per) and scoring 14 times. The first-team All-SEC selection also caught 35 passes for 296 yards (8.5 per) and two scores, and was named the Cotton Bowl Offensive MVP for his efforts in the national semifinal win over Cincinnati (26-204-7.8 rushing). Robinson returned 11 kickoffs for 166 yards (15.1 per) during his career. -- by Chad Reuter

Butler is a Louisiana native who earned second-team all-state honors his senior year at Plaquemine High School before taking Interstate 10 to Lafayette. He played in 13 games as a reserve and on special teams as a true freshman in 2018 (10 tackles, one pass breakup). Butler started 12 of 14 appearances and led the Ragin' Cajuns with three forced fumbles in 2019 (54 tackles, two pass breakups). He then garnered honorable mention All-Sun Belt Conference notice as a junior (44 tackles, two for loss, two interceptions, six pass breakups, team-high two forced fumbles in 10 games, nine starts) and second-team accolades in 2021 (61 tackles, six for loss, four pass breakups, one blocked kick in 12 games, nine starts). -- by Chad Reuter

Howell set the North Carolina high school record for total offensive yards with 17,036, ranking second with 13,145 passing yards, during his career at Sun Valley. He committed to Florida State initially, but UNC head coach Mack Brown convinced the four-star, top-100 overall recruit nationally to stay in his home state. Howell played immediately for the Tar Heels, starting all 13 games in 2019 to garner ACC Rookie of the Year and third-team All-ACC honors. That season, he ranked fourth in the FBS with 38 touchdown passes and 10th in passing efficiency (259-of-422, 61.4%, 3,641 yards, seven INTs; one rushing TD) and was named the Military Bowl Most Valuable Player (25-of-34, 294 yards, three TD passing; 53 rushing yards, receiving TD). He was a second-team All-ACC pick and Manning Award finalist in 2020, ranking fourth in the FBS with 3,586 passing yards, fourth with 15.1 yards per completion, sixth with 30 passing touchdowns and eighth in passing efficiency (237-of-438, 68.1%, seven INTs in 12 starts). Howell struggled a bit in 2021 after losing multiple offensive playmakers to the NFL but still garnered honorable mention accolades and ranked ninth in the FBS with 324 yards of total offense per game as a dual threat (217-347-62.5, 3,056 yards, 24 TD, nine INT passing; 183-828-4.5, 11 TD rushing in 12 starts). He had three games of 300 yards passing and 100 yards rushing, behind only Lamar Jackson's four such contests over the past 25 seasons, and he set UNC career records for passing yards, passing touchdowns and total offense while throwing a touchdown in all 37 games. -- by Chad Reuter

Turner switched from receiver to tight end for the 2020 season, resulting in a first-team All-Mountain West Conference junior campaign with the Wolf Pack. He tied for the team lead with nine receiving touchdowns in nine starts (49-605-12.3), including two scores in the team's win over Tulane in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. His second year at the position was also a success, garnering second-team all-conference honors (62-677-10.9, 10 TDs in 11 starts). The first-team all-state receiver at Clackamas High School in Oregon played in 12 games as a reserve wideout as a true freshman (2-37-18.5, one TD) and in all 13 games of his sophomore campaign (4-51-12.8). Turner opted out of the team's 2021 bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft. His father, Kelly, played football at Purdue. -- by Chad Reuter

As a redshirt freshman, Paul started eight games at right guard while playing in all 12 of the team's games. The Houston product then started all 12 games at left guard in 2019 before moving to the right tackle spot as a junior. Paul was a second-team All-AAC pick in 2020, though he missed the team's bowl game due to injury. Known for his leadership and community service, Paul was named to NCAA Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity in February 2021. His play again received all-conference notice as a senior, garnering honorable mention accolades for his play in 10 starts (one at left tackle and nine at right tackle) even though a knee injury cost him the final three games. -- by Chad Reuter

An all-district receiver at McNair High School in Mississippi, Holmes moved to defense after signing at Missouri in 2016 (one tackle, one pass breakup in 10 games as a reserve). He suffered a shoulder injury in 2017 preseason camp, redshirting the season. Holmes had a bounce-back season in 2018, leading the Tigers with 12 pass breakups and starting the final eight contests (36 tackles, 1.5 for loss, two interceptions -- one returned for a score -- in 13 games). He started four games in 2019 (29 tackles, three for loss, four pass breakups in 12 games) and then transferred to Oklahoma State. Holmes started the Cowboys' final two games in 2020 while playing in all 11 games (24 tackles, three for loss, six pass breakups) and decided to return to Stillwater for the additional year of eligibility offered by the NCAA due to the pandemic. He received second-team All-Big 12 Conference accolades in 2021, posting 36 tackles, an interception and seven pass breakups in 14 games with 13 starts. -- by Chad Reuter