Player Evaluations: Parker Washington

The Penn State coaching staff is set to extend its streak of high-level recruiting at the receiver position with the addition of four-star Texas native Parker Washington. Size is the most valued, but also overrated trait when it comes to football. Washington stands at 5-foot-11, but as we will discuss, he plays much bigger than his frame. At 195 pounds, he’s already near the desired size and strength to play in the Big 10. With continued development of his natural skills, Washington could be a standout at the college level.

Important Note: Scouting notes are based on highlight videos produced by commit. They should not be seen as a complete picture of the strengths and weaknesses of a prospect. The majority of the evaluation is based off of physical tools and what positional fundamentals that can be gleaned from select plays. As these young men are still in the early stages of their development, projections are based on positive potential and development.

Full Toolbox: I will try not to gush, but Washington has every skill you could ask for from a wide receiver. Speed, agility, natural body control, feel for angles and setting up defenders are just the ones that come to mind after watching his film. Simply put, he has it all. Throughout the season, Washington produced multiple “wow” plays that grabbed the attention of multiple media outlets via social media. His best asset, however, is his explosive change of direction. College football is littered with players that are fast in a linear direction. It’s an entirely different thing to be fast in every direction. Washington is dripping with this ability, which is the hallmark of elite route runners at the receiver position. He also clearly possesses a natural ability as a runner and is capable of gaining yards after the catch on short passes.

Mental Approach: You don’t need to be 6-4 to play big as a wide receiver. In fact, it can be a detriment at times. Washington is by no means small, and plays much bigger than his frame. Most players with his elusiveness and speed would shy away from contact because they simply don’t have to engage. Washington shows a nasty streak and will push back when challenged. He shows great concentration in contested catches and shows natural body control to box out defenders.

Catch Radius/Hands: The best receivers are the ones that make the quarterback’s life easier. If a receiver can extend a tight window by being able to catch the ball outside the frame of their body, they will likely see more targets. Part of Washington’s ability to play bigger than his frame is his ability to snag balls from multiple angles and platforms. This is a skill that has been sorely lacking from the Penn State receiving corps for the past several years. He's already very good ability to high-pointing the ball. Washington shows this regularly, not only on one-handed catches, but on routine slants and short passes.

Getting Away With It: It’s no secret that talented athletes can get away with things that a less talented competitor simple can’t. Retreating seven yards on a screen and reversing field is not something any coach wants to see...until it turns into a big play. Washington falls into the category of players that have to be mature and judicious about how he uses his talents at the next level. He can’t fall into the trap of leaning on his abilities and taking shortcuts to bypass good fundamentals like footwork and route running. This is not to say that he’s regularly guilty of this, but simply it’s a natural tendency great athletes like himself show at times, especially early in their collegiate careers.

Route Running: Truthfully, everything past this point is splitting hairs. There are plenty of positive signs on Washington’s tape that point to him already having an advanced understanding of route running. In fact, it should probably be listed as one of his strengths.

That being said, the majority of Washington’s highlights come from bubble screens and plays where he simply outmatched his competition with his physical tools. There’s nothing wrong with that, and you can’t blame him for excelling at the plays his coaching staff called for him. With that said, there's less evidence on film of his skills as a route runner to say that he’s ready to step on a college football field and gain separation against Big 10 defensive backs.

Run Blocking: Once again, without having a full reel of film to judge his abilities, it’s more of an unknown than anything else. Some receivers will throw a highlight reel block on their film just to show that they’re capable of it. The lack of such plays is telling, but only to a point. The presence or lack of run blocking is not critical in any way. Once again, this is hair-splitting on a great prospect.

Washington could very easily play on the boundary, but his ability to change directions and his explosive, big-play potential make him an excellent slot receiver candidate. His skill after the catch also makes him a great candidate for reverses and gadget plays that are typically run from the slot. Even his will to elevate and high-point the ball can be used over the middle where traffic can make life hectic for the quarterback. Washington is a very impressive looking prospect.

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