Leon Washington attended Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville, Florida where he played running back, receiver, and cornerback. As a senior, Washington rushed for 2,437 yards and scored 28 rushing touchdowns. As a return man he scored four touchdowns (3 kick, 1 punt). On the defensive side of the ball Washington recorded 88 tackles and three interceptions as a cornerback. At the conclusion of his senior season, Leon Washington was named Mr. Florida for football. He was considered a top five player in the state and a top ten player in the country. He was recruited by Florida, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Maryland, but opted to attend Florida State instead. As a freshman, Washington spent most of his time as a return man, averaging 28.3 yards per kick return and 11.5 yards per punt return. He did start at running back the final two games of his freshman season, finishing with 273 rushing yards and one touchdown on the year. As a sophomore, Washington got off to a great start, rushing for 27 yards in his first carry in the season opener before dislocating his right elbow. The injury sidelined Washington for the next four games. He finished the season with 387 rushing yards and 1 touchdown. He also had a punt return for a touchdown against Wake Forest. He shared offensive MVP honors with receiver and current Kansas City Chief Craphonso Thorpe. As a junior, Washington led the Seminoles with 951 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns on the year. He was named MVP of the Gator Bowl after his 12 carry 195 yard performance in a victory over West Virginia. His 16.3 yards per carry in the Gator Bowl set a Florida State single game record. He was named offensive MVP and received 2nd team all-ACC honors for his performance as a junior. As a senior, Washington split time with junior running back Lorenzo Booker. He finished second on the team in rushing behind Booker with 430 yards and 3 touchdowns. He set career highs in receiving with 25 receptions for 279 yards and 1 touchdown.

Leon Washington is a very versatile player who can do many things well for his football team. He runs with a low center of gravity and has very good instincts and vision for a running back. He has good speed and quickness. He is elusive in the open field and is a threat to score every time he touches the football. He can be a tough player to tackle, but he isn’t one that breaks a lot of tackles either. When he does go down, he will fall forward to gain additional yardage. He is a solid blocker and a very good receiver out of the backfield. He is a hard worker who always strives for continuous improvement. He was a very good return man at Florida State and can also contribute in that capacity in the NFL. Washington lacks ideal size to be a featured back at the professional level. Durability is another concern due to his lack of size and the fact that he had several nagging injuries that kept him off the field in college. He will make a nice third down back and return specialist for the team that drafts him and should be a mid-round pick in April.