If you are an avid Mock Draft reader, the name DeVante Parker is probably already familiar to you. For those of you who are not familiar with the aforementioned name, DeVante Parker is a 6’3”, 209 lb Senior Wide Receiver coming out of the University of Louisville. Yes, the same Louisville that Teddy Bridgewater came out of. In 2012 and 2013 with Bridgewater as his Quarterback, Parker caught 95 passes for 1,629 yards and 22 touchdowns. Coming into the 2014 season, there were some concerns over whether or not Parker would still be able to produce without Bridgewater guiding the offense. Despite missing multiple games due to a foot injury, Parker all-but shattered those concerns, catching 43 passes for 855 yards and 5 touchdowns in only 6 games. On a per-game basis, those lucrative numbers average out to be 7.2 catches, 142.5 yards, and 0.83 touchdowns per game. With the intro out of the way, lets move on to some of the finer aspects of Parker’s game.
Nov 29, 2014; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver DeVante Parker (9) runs the ball against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half at Papa John
Pros:
+ Extremely athletic, rumored to run a 4.39 40 yard dash and should place in the top 5 for his position at the combine in both the broad jump and vertical jump.
+ Uses hands well to get off cornerbacks trying to press.
+ Good, crisp route-runner.
+ Great at locating the ball. Has great body control and long arms to go up and get it.
+ Good, soft hands. Plucks the ball out of the air in a similar motion to that of AJ Green.
+ Excels after the catch. Has a variety of quick moves to make the first defender miss.
+ Good at using body to box out defenders.
+ Very experienced, played at Louisville for four years, won’t be coming into the NFL with a “raw” label. Knows how to find the “soft-spot” in a zone defense.
+ Has shown great chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater, which is always a plus to not have to worry about a QB and WR building chemistry, as it sometimes never happens(Ex: Alex Smith and Dwayne Bowe).
+ Clean off-field record.
Nov 16, 2013; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals wide receiver DeVante Parker (9) catches a pass in front of Houston Cougars defensive back Trevon Stewart (23) during the second half of play at Papa John
Cons:
– Some could argue he has limited upside due to the fact that he is already very developed.
– Suffered a few medium-level injuries over his time at Louisville, which could raise some durability flags.
– Some are concerned over his ability to be a true game-breaker rather than just a possession receiver, however, I am confident that he will be much more than just a possession receiver.
Pro-Player Comparison:
AJ Green Through-and-through. Combines a tall, lean frame with great jumping and ball-locating ability. Long arms. Crisp route-running. Good body control. Parker might as well be Green’s twin.
How Would Parker Fit in?
On a Minnesota Vikings team with a lot of depth but no clear-cut go-to guy at the wide-receiver position, Parker would come in and immediately be given the chance to become Teddy’s go-to receiver(Which he is certainly used to).
Does This Pick Really Make Sense?
Here is where things get a little bit dicey. In order to fully explain, I will need to break down each receiver on the team. For starters, the emergence of Charles Johnson was certainly a pleasant surprise, but he didn’t prove himself to be a true number one, as he produced more like a solid number two. Greg Jennings, the team’s de-facto number one receiver, like Johnson, produced more like a number two, and will likely be gone after this coming season. Cordarrelle Patterson is the Wild-Card of the group. He has all the potential in the world, but regressed in his second year as a pro. In drafting Parker, Spielman would be showing that he doesn’t have full confidence in Patterson developing into a true number one receiver. Jarius Wright and Adam Thielen are both solid contributors, but aren’t realistically in the number one wide receiver discussion.
May 3, 2012; Eden Prairie, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Duron Carter (13) does stretching exercises prior to drills at the Minnesota Vikings Rookie Minicamp at Winter Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
There is, however, another player who could totally change the Vikings’ offseason plans. This player is Duron Carter. Carter is currently a free agent. After being banished to Canada and tearing up the CFL after unsuccessfully trying out for the Vikings a few years back, the son of former Viking and Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Cris Carter is going to get a second shot in the NFL. After a visit with the Vikings, Carter claimed the Vikings were in the lead for his services. If the Vikings do indeed sign the 6’5” receiver, then drafting Parker would be more of a luxury than a necessity.
In all likelihood, Spielman’s interest in Parker will come down to two things: His confidence in Cordarrelle Patterson developing into a true number one receiver, and whether or not the team signs Duron Carter.
Bottom Line:
DeVante Parker is a polished, athletic prospect that any team would love to have. However, wanting a player and spending a top-15 draft pick on the player are two very different things. In my opinion if Duron Carter signs elsewhere, then it is in the Vikings’ best interest to draft DeVante Parker. His NFL-ready skill set and tall frame would be a pivotal addition to the Vikings receiving corps. He would likely be a big contributor from day one, and would add a go-to option to an offense that so desperately needs one.
Thank you all for reading, let me know what you think in the comments down below. Make sure to follow me on twitter @jackmack28 for further questions and the most entertaining tweets on the internet!