Miami Dolphins Wide-Receiver DeVante Parker

DeVante Parker is a big receiver and now he is a Miami Dolphin. The Dolphins selected Parker with the 14th overall pick on Thursday night but what did the Dolphins get with that selection?

More from Dolphins Draft

For that I turn to Ian Wharton who this year produced a fantastic draft guide that covered over 300 players. A featured columnist on Bleacher Report and a graduate of the University of Houston, Wharton has been diving into the NFL Draft for years and his knowledge and film study is excellent.

Character:

Four years at Louisville, Parker has had no off-field issues and played in multiple NFL style schemes while in college. His only injury was a 2014 broken foot. Wharton has him graded as an 8 out of ten in leadership.

Athleticism:

While not an elite athlete Parker knows how to us his large 6’03” frame to shield defenders. He runs a 4.45 40 yard dash and weighs 209 pounds. Wharton believes that Parker is very good at adjusting to the ball while in the air and has very good change of direction cuts while in route.

Running:

Superb in the open field, Parker has very solid vision and can gain the elusive yards after catch that the Dolphins desperately need. Parker’s strength is getting separation from defenders and finding the open areas of the field.

Receiving:

Listed as above average, Parker has very good concentration and great hands to go with it. Parker does not allow the ball to get to his chest using his hands out front to take the ball out of the air.

Wharton Summary:

DeVante Parker opted to return to Louisville after his junior season where he had a solid year with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at the helm. His senior season was partially derailed due to a broken foot in the offseason, but he came back and destroyed quality secondaries in the ACC, including Florida State. Parker isn’t an elite athlete, but he’s a good athlete that has great body control and field awareness. The area where Parker can improve upon is his aggressiveness. He is not as willing to go up and rip the ball away from a cornerback at the catch point, despite having success at the catch point in general. Parker can also use his big frame better to block out cornerbacks that are making a play on the ball when running comeback routes or slants with off coverage. It’s a physicality issue that Parker seems unwilling to use his body as a shield. Parker projects as a high-end number two receiver with his ability to produce after the catch and be a reliable possession threat.

Home/Dolphins Draft