"I used to be bad,” he said. "I was always getting into trouble.”
That changed during his freshman year of high school in a sweeping moment of heartbreak when Washington realized he no longer was invincible.
"You know, when you're in high school you never think you can get hurt,” he said. "I got slapped in the face with some reality.”
Maturing off the field helped Washington develop into the nation's top defensive end prospect.
He worried less about trash-talking and more about trashing the opposing team's quarterback.
Washington, from Keller, Texas, was the first to commit to Oklahoma, laying the foundation for this 2008 Sooner recruiting class that by signing day should be among the nation's elite.
When Washington arrives in Norman, he will join a talented crop of young defensive ends that includes incumbent Big 12 sack leader Auston English and rising star Jeremy Beal.
Despite being a sizable 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, Washington runs the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, which made him nearly impossible for high school linemen to block without the help of a double-team.
During his time at Fossil Ridge High School, Washington registered 27 career sacks. His senior year, he had 21 quarterback hurries.
But what Fossil Ridge football coach Tony Baccarini has valued most in Washington isn't his speed off the corner or the ferocity with which he strikes an opposing running back.
"R.J. is a very emotional kid,” Baccarini said. "He has a lot of passion for everything he does. He cares about his coaches and his teammates.”
Going into high school, Washington cared for teammate Tyler Bailey as much as anyone.
Washington and Bailey were the stars on the Fossil Ridge freshman football team.
"Tyler was more athletic than I was. He would never drop the ball,” Washington said. "He was one of the coolest people I've ever met.”
But one Saturday night that football season, Bailey, also a straight "A” student, was found dead from an overdose of the prescription drugs Xanax and Oxycodone. Many believed it was the first time Bailey had ever used drugs.
"To lose a best friend, especially how he died, put the whole no one is invincible thing out there,” Washington said. "People make mistakes.”
Washington began to realize it was time for him to stop making his mistakes.
Since he began attending school as a child, Washington was a fixture in the principal's office. He would fight with other kids and curse at teachers.
His mother, Sherri Wright, would spank him with a belt or a vacuum cord whenever he'd mess up at school, which was often.
"I have a file folder for when he has children,” said Wright, a nurse at Forth Worth's Harris Methodist Hospital. "When his children start acting up, he can look at that file and remember what he put me through.”
It wasn't until Bailey's passing that Washington finally realized he needed to change the direction of his life.
"That helped R.J. draw attention to himself that he needed help,” Wright said. "He realized he didn't have to be a bully or a bad kid. He could be who he was.”
Washington stopped causing trouble at school. And he started to become a person others could look up to.
"He's been our leader ever since,” Baccarini said. "I don't know if what happened to Tyler is what changed R.J.
"I do know it was not too long after that everything started to go well for him.”
It has been four years since Bailey died, but Washington hasn't forgotten his friend.
Shortly after a narrow victory over rival Flower Mound this past season, Washington walked up to Baccarini.
"R.J. came up to me and said, ‘This game reminded me of Tyler,'” Baccarini recalled. "Tyler's death shook up R.J. pretty bad and he struggled with it for a while.
"But all that helped R.J. turn into a good, good person.”
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Leave it to a bunch of losur aggies to rationalize anything and everything that shows OU's sports dominance in the state. I remember after Gundy's rant, one of the national sports writers called losur an "afterthought" to most of the nation living in the large shadow to OU. They just can't seem to stomach it. Oh well, what can you say when your an "afterthought" nationally.
Not only Rivals bragging on RJ....Announcers at the Army AA game said he was the best speed rusher at the practices all week and CSTV's recruiting guru says he is the best pass rusher in the nation...Might be a little hyped, but the guy sounds like a stud...Can't wait to see him lining up with English in '09...Welcome aboard RJ
Rivals is written by a bunch of guys that don't have a clue. Most of their recruiting rankings are done solely by word of mouth and whos recruiting who. Most of the contributors don't ever see any of the kids actually play or even see any game films! You can hear some of its contributors on The Sports Animal.
I just called my parents and told them the good news, we're going to have a party next weekend to celebrate OU's two sport dominance over the past 33 years according to Rival.com!!! I'm so freaking excited I could shart myself!!!!
Well now...I'm as big an OU fan as their is without being one of those obnoxious types and I have to agree with Barry on this one. That's real fine and dandy that we're No. 1 in basketball and football combined since 1974 based on the arbitrary weighting system made up by two guys no one has ever heard of, just great news! What a glorious time to be alive I tell ya!!!!
Wow, talk about a loaded ranking. OU is not ranked #1 in either category but based on the strength of the football category, has come out on top. Despite a basketball ranking that is in the lower 50% of the top 25 listed. If you look at the "since BCS-Basketball" category, OU actually tied with OSU and Gonzaga at #16. Gonzaga does not even play football, so sure other schools will be ranked higher. This is a pretty useless comparison. So, let us check the NCAA's National Association of College Director's of Athletics' standing since 1993 (the Sears Cup). This is ALL SPORTS, not just a select few to make a ridiculous, weighted point. Average position for OU, 30th, OSU is 34th. Note that this is an average position, not necessarily an overall ranking for the years. It is also curious to note that so far in the 2007-2008 year, OU is currently ranked 48th behind powerhouse Cal Poly-SLO while OSU is ranked 23rd. Seems real convenient to only discuss athletic programs that you are doing well in but dismiss other sports as inconsequential. If the other sports are so insignificant, why have the programs? So hold your heads high Sooner fans when it comes to having a great football program. Everything else....you are middle of the road just like everyone else.
That's right Tyler, read the article. Since 1974, the football AND basketball programs at OU have been ranked No. 1 according to Rivals.com. What they did was combine the success of both sports programs to get this ranking.
Yeah, OU having the #1 basketball program is big time news to me. They aren't even the best team in the region with KU, Texas, and Texas A&M let alone the country with UCLA, Duke, North Caroina, and Florida. Thats crazy talk.
Oklahoma has the No. 1 football and basketball programs in the nation? That's news to me....and everyone else in the country. Way to break the story Gary, you should get a job at the Oklahoman!
He will play for the University which has the NO. 1 football AND basketball programs in the nation according to Rivals.com. When people hear the name "Oklahoma" they think, of course, of the UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. Way to go Sooners.
I live in Keller but regretfully never made it to one of R.J.'s games. I hope to make up for that when he becomes a Sooner. OU football needs emotional young men to fire up the program. He sounds very intelligent and someone ready to be a leader.
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