Pros, cons of Jacksonville Jaguars picking Penn State's Parker Washington in 2023 NFL Draft
Penn State football's Parker Washington was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The receiver was the 185th overall selection and the second Nittany Lion chosen on the third and final day of the draft.
He followed a flurry of Nittany Lion draft picks on Friday's second day − from second-rounders Joey Porter Jr. (cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers), Brenton Strange (tight end, Jacksonville Jaguars) and Juice Scruggs (center, Houston Texans) to third-rounder Ji'Ayir Brown (safety, San Francisco 49ers).
Penn State four-year starting quarterback Sean Clifford was picked in the middle of Saturday's fifth round by the Green Bay Packers.
This is 𝘵𝘩𝘦 Parker Washington (@cpw_3) catch that @NFL fans need to see. 😱
The @Jaguars select the former @PennStateFball WR in the 6th round.#NFLDraft x #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/ef0a41uHtH— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) April 29, 2023
Washington, chosen early in the sixth round, will be catching passes with Strange in Jacksonville.
Could he become the next former Penn State receiver to blossom in the NFL? Washington will try to follow the success of former teammate Jahan Dotson and the likes of Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson.
Washington may be the most intriguing Penn State draft pick of this class. He left school with two seasons of eligibility remaining and was not able to play down the stretch last year because of a lower-body injury. He's an undersized receiver built more like a running back.
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Penn State football receiver Parker Washington: The positives
Washington possesses an elite work ethic, a crazy-big catch radius and plays much larger (and stronger) than his slot receiver size.
He offers dependable ball skills with the ability to use his lower-body strength and 205 pounds to make impressive yards-after-catch splashes.
Penn State WR Parker Washington at 5-10 shows the ability to go above the rim on contested catches w/strong, reliable hands to make one or two handed-grabs.
Has a nice catch-radius who's able to extend and catch passes away from his body. Plays big and is competitive. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/wxpFgPHi3S— WBG84 (@WBG84) April 25, 2023
He's an "NFL-ready and reliable slot receiver. He may not be the most explosive player, but his hands are dependable (5.2% career drop rate) and he is talented after the catch (31 broken tackles on 110 receptions the past two seasons)," according to a Pro Football Focus analysis.
His vision and strong after-contact running give him punt return value, as well.
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The concerns
Washington may only fill a narrow need on the next level: a smaller (5-foot-10) possession receiver who works primarily in the slot. He does not possess big-play speed or elusiveness to be a downfield difference-maker.
He certainly starred against Ohio State last season (11 receptions, 179 yards) but did not, overall, raise his game to the level of a dominant, go-to receiver, as expected.
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Final thoughts
He should, in time, outperform his draft-day results as an above-average possession receiver with the knack for extending and reaching for the remarkable catch. He'll be appreciated for his toughness and versatility as much as his precise route running.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on Twitter @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Jacksonville Jaguars pick Penn State's Parker Washington in NFL Draft
