James Edward Washington Jr. was born on April 2, 1996, he is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma State, where he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award and named a unanimous All-American in 2017 before being drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
As a true freshman at Oklahoma State in 2014, Washington played in all 13 games and had 28 receptions for 456 yards and six touchdowns. Playing in all 13 games again as a sophomore in 2015 he recorded 53 receptions for 1,087 and 10 touchdowns. As a junior in 2016, he had 71 receptions for 1,380 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named Offensive MVP of the 2016 Alamo Bowl after recording nine receptions for 171 yards and a touchdown. Washington returned to Oklahoma State for his senior year, rather than enter the 2017 NFL Draft. In 2017 Washington won the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best wide receiver.
On December 11, 2017, it was announced that Washington had accepted his invitation to play in the 2018 Senior Bowl. Washington impressed scouts and analysts during practices in preparation for the Senior Bowl. On January 27, 2018, Washington played in the 2018 Reese’s Senior Bowl but finished without a catch as a part of Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien’s South team that defeated the North 45–16. Throughout the game, he was covered by Jacksonville State’s Siran Neal.
On March 18, 2022, Washington signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys. During training camp, Washington has carted off the practice field after suffering a fractured fifth metatarsal. He was placed on injured reserve on August 31, 2022.
James Washington signed a 1 year, $1,187,500 contract with the Dallas Cowboys, including a $152,500 signing bonus, $1,047,500 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,187,500.