Thoughts on Devante Parker?

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STRENGTHS: Excellent height/length body type with the frame to get stronger. Long-striding speed with natural lower body explosion to get vertical in a hurry. Shows multiple gears in his routes to set up defenders. Quick-starter with the initial movements off the line of scrimmage to gain free release and stack corners, using field leverage to give him room to work down the sideline. Disguises routes well with a strong plant foot, selling his patterns with crisp footwork. Shows some shake in the open field with quick cuts to deceive after the catch and the vision to collect YAC. Tracks the football and extends well to attack with a large wingspan and natural body control ? usually reliable ballskills. Above average vertical with the leaping ability to hang in the air. Deceiving body strength and not a push-over, running tough and not allowing coverage defenders to slow him down in his routes. Tougher than he looks and not an easy ballcarrier to finish off. Confident competitor and won?t shrink in crunch time. Frequent visitor to the end zone with a touchdown every 4.7 catches for the Cardinals. Consistently productive in college and leaves Louisville ranked top-five in several categories, including career receiving yards (2,775) and career receiving touchdowns (33).
WEAKNESSES: Leaner-than-ideal frame and needs to add muscle and bulk. Good speed for the position, but can be caught from behind. Usually reliable hands and focus, but will allow the ball into his body at times and tends to have concentration lapses. Better with the ball away from his body where he can extend and attack. Room to improve his footwork off the line to beat press and get into his routes. Needs to improve his coverage reads to better manipulate defenders instead of using the same moves each play. Will get himself in trouble extending his arms away from his body to push off ? won?t get away with that in the NFL. Willing blocker, but has room to improve in this area. Durability concerns due to his lean frame and college injuries, including a left foot injury (Aug. 2014) that required surgery and sidelined him for the first seven games of his senior season, also missed one game as a junior due to a right shoulder injury (Oct. 2013).

--Dane Brugler

COMPARES TO: A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals ? Although he?s not quite on the same level as Green, Parker is just a notch below with a similar athletic skill-set with the height and length to tower over defenders.

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