The pick is in: Jaguars select Parker Washington 185th overall

With the 185th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars have selected Penn State WR Parker Washington.

Washington ranked 127th (4th round) in expert big boards and 133rd (4th) in public big boards.

• Prospect name: Parker Washington
• Hometown: Sugar Land, Texas
• Position: Wide receiver
• School: Penn State
• Year: 21.1
• Age at draft: Junior
• Height: 5’ 10” (9%)
• Weight: 204 lbs (56%)
• Hand Size: 10 1/8” (91%)
• Arm Length: 29” (2%)

Percentiles via MockDraftable

Scouting report from Derrik Klassen of Bleacher Report:

Washington could find a role as a backup or rotational slot player. His thick frame, short-area management and hard-nosed YAC skills give him a decent floor to work with. Washington’s athletic profile and issues at the catch point limit his ceiling quite a bit, but he could still be a viable player in an offense that embraces quick passes and lets him go to work in the underneath area.

Player summary from Dane Brugler of The Athletic:

A three-year starter at Penn State, Washington was an inside receiver in offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s RPO-based scheme, with 87.5 percent of his career snaps coming in the slot. After being the Robin to Jahan Dotson’s Batman his first two seasons, he became the team’s No. 1 receiver in 2022 and led the team in receiving (before his season-ending injury). Washington’s competitiveness is really impressive as both a pass catcher (physical to the football and sustains through traffic) and ball carrier (above-average play strength and balance after the catch). He saw a high dosage of bubbles and quick-hitting targets in the Penn State offense and isn’t a proven commodity as a downfield receiver (only 7.5 percent of his catches came on throws of 20-plus yards).

Overall, Washington has subpar length and only average speed at the position, but his agile footwork, instinctive ball skills and competitive toughness help him create opportunities. He is best in the slot and projects as a Golden Tate-like target.

Last word from Ryder McConville of Sports Info Solutions:

Parker Washington projects to be a top backup at the next level and will primarily be a slot WR. He shows tremendous hand-eye coordination to locate and snag the football when outside of his frame. He can track and contort his body to adjust to the ball to make some spectacular catches. After the catch, he shows toughness to extend and create explosive plays as a runner. While he displays quick feet, he lacks separation to take the top off the defense. He struggles to get off press at the LOS and needs a free release to get off the line. On 3rd down, he will be a reliable chain-moving slot WR who can find soft spots against zone and make tough catches in contested coverage. He also has the experience, toughness, and hands to be a return specialist in the league as well.

Prospect overview from Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:

It’s easy to see that Washington has worked hard on all aspects of his craft. He’s not the most athletically gifted player, but he uses all of his talent to maximize his on-field production. Washington plays with well-developed ball skills and the toughness needed to make challenging catches, but finding open windows against man coverage will be difficult, due to his lack of shake and separation. His size and run-after-catch ability help his cause as a backup and possession slot receiver.