Parker Washington NFL Draft Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5′-10″
Weight: 215 pounds
School: Penn State
2023 NFL Draft: Parker Washington Scouting Report
After three years with the Penn State Nittany Lions, wide receiver Parker Washington has decided to skip the final years of his college eligibility and declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. Washington finished his collegiate tenure on a decent note, recording 46 receptions for 611 yards and two touchdowns on 66 targets.
Parker Washington began his journey to the NFL with an impressive rookie season. Earning a key role as a true freshman, the wide receiver finished his inaugural campaign with 36 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns on 58 targets. Washington’s role increased in 2021, as he recorded 64 receptions for 820 yards and four touchdowns on 86 targets while playing second-fiddle to Jahan Dotson.
Strengths
- Phenomenal after the catch – excels at breaking tackles for a player of his size;
- Plays with no care for his own safety – will do anything to get to the catch point;
- Has the strength to take a hit from a linebacker without getting pushed off his route;
- Moves like a running back with the ball in his hands;
- Has experience as a punt returner;
- Early breakout age implies he can adjust to the NFL quickly.
Weaknesses
- Exclusively a slot receiver – lacks the build and speed to play outside;
- Rounds his routes – easy for NFL-caliber defenders to follow and undercut passes;
- 31st percentile college dominator – not likely to ever be anything more than a complementary part of an offense;
- Production dropped in 2022 when asked to be the focal point of the passing attack;
- Pedestrian athleticism;
- Will not stretch the field vertically.
NFL Comparison: Lesser Golden Tate
Teams With Need At Position: Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots
Projection: Rounds 4-5
Bottom Line on Parker Washington
Parker Washington is never going to be a star player, and he might not even be a starter at the NFL level. However, he will provide a reliable presence over the middle, and in today’s pass-heavy NFL, a player like him will always have a role in an offense. Washington will be at his best in the slot, making tough catches over the middle and picking up those hard to gain yards. His above-average strength allows him to stay on routes despite contact, and that same muscle and body control allows him to be a menace after the catch.
While he lacks the speed to break away from defenders, he’s hard to take down. I’m far from the first person to make this comparison, but he moves like a running back with the ball in his hands. This makes him dangerous on punt returns and, if he lands with a coaching staff that can scheme him open, he could be a dangerous gadget player.
These skills make Washington an adequate third option in the passing attack, but he lacks the ceiling to be anything more than that. At 5′-10″, he lacks the size and speed to line up out wide and consistently win against NFL cornerbacks. Even in college, he rarely left the slot. The reason he needs scheme to get the ball in open space is because his route running is too sloppy to separate against cornerbacks. Perhaps the right coaching staff can help him develop, but right now, Parker Washington looks like a gadget player and depth option that will record 25-35 receptions a year.
Main Photo: Robert Goddin – USA Today Sports
