Parker has NFL size and sneaky speed but will need the right scheme to flourish at the next level.

NFL Player Comp(s): Braylon Edwards

Best Scheme Fit: West Coast offense, especially after he puts on more muscle. His route-running, which is already better than most college receivers, should only improve as he moves forward, making him an even better fit for a short-to-intermediate passing attack.

Strengths

• Evolved from primarily a deep threat into an all-around receiver in 2014, increasing the number of routes he ran and turning numerous short throws into big plays.
  
• Hands-catcher who was credited with only three drops since 2012; more than willing to go over the middle and consistently tracks the ball well over his shoulder on sideline throws.
  
• Surprising open-field elusiveness for a taller receiver; defenders are rarely able to get a jam on him.
  
• Long strider with build-up speed; also does nice job of setting defenders up, allowing him to create separation on intermediate and deep routes.
  
• Huge wingspan (80-plus inches) combined with prototypical height gives him a big edge in close quarters and on poorly-thrown passes.
  
• Consistently works his way back to the quarterback when he is under duress (scramble rules).
  

Weaknesses

• Will win more than his fair share of jump balls, but seems indifferent at times if the deep ball isn’t thrown close enough to him; shows too much inconsistent (and sometimes poor) effort when he is not the target.
  
• Lacks elite initial burst, which could make it hard for him to separate from NFL defensive backs; doesn’t use big frame well enough at this point to shield off defenders.
  
• Has shown a tendency to push off on downfield throws to create last little bit of separation; unlikely to consistently get away with that in the NFL.
  
• Made strides in terms of his blocking in 2014, but still has much work to do to become merely average at the pro level.
  
• Durability will be a bit of a question until he adds more muscle; missed at least one game each of the last two seasons.
  
  

Bottom Line
While he flashed first-round talent and played with a much-heightened sense of urgency in 2014, I feel Parker’s ability to be a No. 1 receiver at the next level will be much more scheme-dependent than West Virginia’s Kevin White or Alabama’s Amari Cooper’s will. As such, I will place him on a rung below the two receivers most analysts have recognized as the draft’s top two prospects at the position. For what it is worth, Parker did his draft stock a huge favor by coming back for his final year of college as I saw very little in six pre-2014 games to suggest he wanted to be anything more than a downfield threat. Based on the jump he made from his junior to senior year (and projecting the same to his rookie year in the NFL), I can easily see why evaluators are ready to put him into the top 10 of this draft. After all, he has great height/wingspan with the frame to add more weight, is slippery in the short passing game and sneaky good as a vertical threat. I’m just not ready to go there yet with him. As you might be able to tell from above, my biggest problem with him is desire; I studied him in nine games and not once did I see an example of him making a play to break up an interception on a poorly-thrown ball or a critical block to spring a running back for a big gain. There’s no doubt in my mind he is a NFL receiver, but I believe how good he becomes will ultimately depend on how much his coaches stay on him to get the most of his talent. I’d feel more comfortable with him as a second receiver initially, although he could easily enjoy the same kind of immediate success as a deep/red-zone threat that Martavis Bryant did in 2014 for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He could just as easily land in a poor situation and struggle due to a lack of strength and separation as a rookie. Suffice it to say I believe there is a wide range between his floor and ceiling at the pro level.