CJ Washington removed from Georgia Football's online roster
More than a year after a neck injury left CJ Washington‘s future in football in doubt, it seems the answer is now clear. Washington’s name has been removed from Georgia’s online roster as of Monday afternoon. Dawgs247’s Jordan Hill was first to report.
A former four-star recruit out of Cedartown, Ga., Washington enrolled early in the spring of 2022. He was ranked the No. 149 overall player in the recruiting class and the No. 12 inside linebacker. However, during one of the team’s spring practices, Washington suffered a head and neck injury that required him to be carted off the field. He was seen in a neck brace weeks later at G-Day, and while he was out of the brace by the fall, his status remained unclear.
“He’s been here with us — he was here today. So, get to see CJ from time to time,” Smart said in September. “It’s really been a struggle for him because football meant so much for him and to him. And we still haven’t given up hope that he can come back, but were certainly going to take all the precautions necessary before we do bring him back.”
“It’s been really tough on him. He is, you know, as any kid would be, he’s a freshman in college. And he got football taken away from him, for right now,” Smart added in October. “It’s been pretty emotional for him. It’s been a tough road, and we continue to try to help and support him as best we can.”
Smart told reporters last summer at SEC Media Days that Washington’s status was continuing to be evaluated. He ultimately did not suit up for the Bulldogs in 2022 and was not seen with the team during the spring either despite remaining on the roster.
“CJ’s continuing to get medical eval-ed. It’s been a tough, slow process. It’s not something that you rush,” Smart said. “I don’t know the outcome of that yet. We’ve had several specialists look at it. He’s recovering. He has shown improvement. The X-rays have shown improvement. He has complete stability, he’s able to go to class, he’s out of the neck brace, but I don’t know when he’s going to be able to return. That’s not something we want to rush.”
Washington was selected to play in the 2022 Under Armour All-America Game after a senior season that saw him make 42 tackles including seven sacks and three tackles for loss. He also rushed for 1,032 yards on 137 carries with 14 touchdowns, catching a touchdown pass as well. His Cedartown Bulldogs went 11-2 and appeared in the GHSA Class 4A semifinals. The year before, he tallied 35 tackles including 10 tackles for loss and six sacks while forcing two fumbles and recovering one. Washington added impact on offense as well with 698 yards on 73 carries with 15 touchdowns. He was named to the Georgia Coaches Association Class 4A North All-State Defensive Team for a second straight season after doing it as a sophomore too.
