Aakil Washington
Aakil Washington
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Across four seasons and two programs, three head coaches: Hugh Freeze, Jamey Chadwell and Major Applewhite. The receipt on tape: 6 tackles against Ohio, Week 2, 2024.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career Arc
Coaching Lineage · 2021–2024
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Jim Leavitt → Rhett Lashlee. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 1 · 2-deepR04 · Rotational
Rotational. Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | South Alabama | 41 | 12 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 3 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Liberty | 2 | -- | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Liberty | 39 | 12 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2021 | Liberty | 27 | 13 | 5.5 | 4.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 109 | 37 | 8.5 | 5.0 | 5 | -- | -- |
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
SMU
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Linebacker · SMU
Returning around him
- 1 SMU player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -10 net (15 in / 25 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
SMU · Last season: 9-4 (AP #25) · Talent rank #25 · 2026 recruiting class #32
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Rocco Nicholl’s 2023 season.
Matches Rocco on
Differs from Rocco on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Stefon Thompson's graduate season at Nebraska (2024).
Matches Stefon on
Differs from Stefon on