The Case For DeVante Parker

[Dynasty DeLorean]

Watching this guys tape is so enjoyable. Of the 31 receptions he had in these 4 games, only 5 were from Screens or Shallow crosses which calculates to a paltry 16%. A far cry from White's 40%. I understand there are only 4 games on Parker versus 8 for White, but I wanted to do the analysis from the same year for the sake of parity.


The GOOD
- Amazing balance and body control
- Great hands
- Big catch radius
- Utilizes several different techniques to create and maintain separation from defenders
- Very limited amount of cheese routes (Screen passes, Shallow Crosses, Comebacks)
- Can stop on a dime

The OK
- Good route runner most of the time
- Holds his own, but needs to be more physical more often.
- Very underrated Run After the Catch ability. Maybe not elite but very good imo.
- Although cheese-routes were limited, he ran a ton of slants. Would have liked to see more variety
- Showed ability to catch back-shoulder throws.
- Can identify soft spots in zone coverage
- Has shown he can do everything well, but needs to do it more consistently.
- Does just fine against press coverage.

The UGLY
- Poor run blocker. I personally feel like it’s more of an effort thing than anything else.
- Has a little Randy Moss in him. Seems like he will take a few plays off when he feels he won’t be involved.
- Ran a handful of extremely lazy routes.
- Cannot afford to be inconsistent in the pros.

My Bottom Line
DeVante Parker displays natural feel for the position. His hands, body control, balance, and catch radius are all exceptional. He consistently creates separation in a variety of ways both during initial engagement with the defender and also at the point of the catch. He shows great deceptive burst on his cuts and is also able to cut at full speed resulting in lethal double moves. When he wants to he can put on a clinic any given play. The knocks on him I've heard (ranging from can't beat press coverage to he's straight-linish after the catch) are completely unfounded or overblown. The only thing that can hold Parker back from being a star in the NFL is his health, desire, and work ethic. He needs to bring it every single play.



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NC State (9 receptions)

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y - Takes a couple funny steps to start but look at the explosion to the inside taking the defender by surprise. Direct route to the inside of the field, and look at his body at the point of the catch, he is level if not leaning into the catch unlike White who leans backwards towards the defender. Because he ran a good route the 2nd level of defenders are not in position to tackle him since he is cutting across the field instead of drifting upfield.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=48s – Not thrown the ball but look at how smoothly he turns towards the middle of the field. Very natural unlike White.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=56s – Not thrown the ball but look at how he explodes off his foot towards the middle of the field in one motion.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=1m4s – Probably could have done a better job of shielding the defender from the ball but gets away with it because he snatches the ball in front of his body instead of waiting for it to get behind him.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=1m33s – Including this play because he has underrated balance and run after the catch skills.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=1m54s – White is supposed to be better at Parker with these routes but it looks at minimum same as White. Underthrown ball and great play by defender leads to incompletion. Maybe White’s stiffarm technique would have helped Parker here (i'm being serious).

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=2m14s – Poor throw. Again, release off the lines looks similar to White’s.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=2m33s – Simple play but well executed. Cuts well in front of defender who has no chance to make a play on the ball.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=3m4s – A subtle head-fake from Parker lets the defender believe for a split second that Parker is going deep, but he’s fooled. Parker cuts well in front of the defender and snatches the ball out of the air for an uncontested catch.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=3m56s – Parker doesn’t create separation, an underthrown ball doesn’t help things. Parker does a good job at recognizing the poor throw and undercutting the defender but the defender makes a great play on the ball. Possible lack of effort at the catch point. [Edit: The more I look at this play, the more I believe White would make the catch more often than not]

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=4m11s – Defender makes a great play on the ball but Parker needed to play bigger.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=4m27s – Jukes defender out of his shoes, plants outside foot and explodes towards the middle of the field. Sharp route makes for easy uncontested catch.

https://youtu.be/yZV9Ly66s3Y?t=4m49s – Kind of a lazy route, drifts upfield towards the defender a bit but still able to make the catch.


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Florida State (8 receptions)

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=3m50s – Shallow Cross


https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E - If you watch the replay of the play in slo-mo, Parker gives a head fake possibly causing the defender to jump the route and blow the coverage. Honestly not sure if it’s just completely blown coverage or if Parker’s subtle move made the defender jump the route. Either way it's an easy pitch and catch courtesy of a confused defender.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=1m3s – Back shoulder throw? Ball is thrown too low, not sure if it’s a drop by Parker or just a bad throw.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=1m37s – Nice cut towards the middle of the field away from the defenders for an easy catch. Look how Parker is working back to the ball away from the defenders at the catch point.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=2m2s – Another clean slant route giving him plenty of cushion from defenders, easy catch

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=2m30s – Brilliant play, look at the separation he gets in the middle of his route with a vicious cut at full speed. He has the defender on a string now.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=2m52s – Hard cut towards the middle, headed up field too early though. Looks like a miscellaneous defender got in his way and altered his route for the worse.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=2m57s – Great release off the line against press coverage (wait, isn’t he not supposed to be able to do that? Lulz…). Keeps the defender at bay with subtle hand checking with left arm to the hip of the defender (not the blatant stiff-arm that White gives). Purposfully stays towards the middle of the field to shield the ball with his body, only altering course when only he can go and get the ball. He’s “covered” but comes down with an uncontested catch… Something White can only do in his dreams. Catches the ball above his head, does not wait for it to drop into his hands. School is in session…

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=3m31s – Follows up that gem of a play with a dreadful one. Good route gaining immediate separation from initial defender, but absolutely needs to cut in front of the 2nd defender, unacceptable. Probably caught off guard, can’t let that happen again.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=3m40s – Now we have entered into the “Bad Parker” territory. Lazy slant route resulting in an incompletion. Parker’s biggest flaw is probably his inconsistency. He CAN do everything well, but does not do it ALL the time.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=4m1s – Easily gets position on the defender but then heads too far upfield, allowing the defender to undercut the pass.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=4m17s – Blatant push in the back, refs are blind. Kind of a weird route in general as he’s jogging the entire way. Probably didn’t anticipate the ball coming his way, and that is another negative I’ve noticed about Parker is he doesn’t seem to give full effort when expecting the ball to go elsewhere.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=4m59s – Not thrown the ball, but look how he sharply cuts towards the middle of the field working back to the ball creating separation between him and the defender.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=5m6s – Defender is not fooled on the play, underthrown ball resulting in incompletion.

https://youtu.be/cQdeARMvt5E?t=5m23s – Nice job of finding the soft spot in the zone between 3-4 defenders.


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Kentucky (6 receptions)

https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=23s – Screen pass. Again, vey underrated run after the catch ability.
https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=3m57s – Screen Pass, nice RAC again.


https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=1m11s – hard to tell what happened, it’s possible Parker got out-muscled for the ball which is a negative talking point about him.

https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=2m33s – Wicked hesitation/double-move completely fools the DB, leaving him grasping for Parker’s shoulder pads but to no avail. The DB eventually faceplants in hilarious fashion.

https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=3m2s – Miscommunication with QB resulting in an INT, according to the announcers it’s likely the Qb was at fault.

https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=4m34s – Look when he knows he is going to get the ball, he is like a racehorse at the starting gate. Can’t contain himself. Finds himself open in the middle of the field, tacklers bounce off him and he gets to the endzone. Look at the catch point how he is working away from the defenders to the ball, his arms outstretched towards the ball not waiting for the ball to come to him.

https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=5m2s – Look at him lull the defensive back to sleep before he turns on the jets for easy separation. This is something I see Amari Cooper do quite often. Can’t say I’ve seen White do it though…

https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=5m19s – Very nice back-shoulder catch, great balance and body control. The defender decides to go for the interception because he does not think Parker can get to the ball given his body positioning (Parker is facing towards the middle of the field and the ball is thrown outside towards the sideline), however Parker uses his impressive leaping ability, body control and long arms to haul in the pass, leaving the defender confused and embarrassed. Good play by Parker, bad play by the defender.

https://youtu.be/4T3KGgUB1VU?t=6m8s – Look at the way Parker stops on a dime and explodes back towards the ball away from the defender, resulting in a spectacular uncontested catch.


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Georgia (8 receptions)

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=37s – Screen Pass, great awareness by the defender.
https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=6m39s – Screen Pass, again good RAC ability with balance and ability to shed arm tackles.


https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg - Seems to get by the press coverage with no problems. Again, no worse than White.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=54s – Makes the DB looks like a fool against press coverage. But this is supposedly a weakness of Parker’s, right? Lul…

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=1m36s – Allows himself to be pushed out of bounds. Big no-no. Nullifies what would have been a spectacular grab.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=2m30s – Once again versus press coverage, jukes defender out of his shoes and creates immediate easy separation right off the line.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=2m38s – After having been shamed on the previous play, the defender is now terrified of Parker going deep. Once again versus press coverage, Parker breaks his ankles for immediate and easy separation on a slant route.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=3m – Slows down, presumably to be inbetween the defenders in zone coverage. Not sure if he should have kept running full speed or if QB should have found hole in the zone.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=4m15s – Excellent body positioning, explodes back towards the ball and away from the defender for a sweet uncontested catch.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=4m55s – Cuts across the defender in one smooth motion, working back towards the ball at the catch point with his arms outstretched towards the ball (not waiting for the ball to come to him).

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=5m9s – Ball thrown behind him, would have been a great grab. Does not come down with it and it’s intercepted.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=5m26s – Again, easy separation on slant routes, something White couldn’t manage.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=6m2s – Settling into a softspot versus zone, stopping on a dime in another awesome display of body control and catch radius on a brilliant backshoulder pass. I suspect this is the same throw that should have made earlier on the play where Parker stopped running and the ball was overthrown.

https://youtu.be/0yDmpOMWrcg?t=6m16s – Tried the same play again, this time the defender made a good play on the ball.

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[HereForTheComments]

I really like Parker and I have always stated he was my number 2 WR in this draft, but I can see why people question his ability to play physical and make those contested catches. In a few of those clips, he was just out played. In OTA's he apparently put on a show and he played physical with Grimes (http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins ... i-saw.html), so it is clear he can be successful in those situations against top corners. I question why he didn't during college, though.

[49ersFaithful80]

Haha got to love "the ugly" here. You compare him to Randy Moss and list nothing as an actual weakness except for run blocking and taking plays off.

Let me guess, you used to be really low on Parker before reviewing his tape so you didn't have a bias going into the study?

Parker is clearly a little soft and needs to get a bit stronger. Every scout on earth says he struggled mightily with press coverage so I'm not sure how his biggest weakness is listed as "ok".

[Dynasty DeLorean]

Haha got to love "the ugly" here. You compare him to Randy Moss and list nothing as an actual weakness except for run blocking and taking plays off.

Let me guess, you used to be really low on Parker before reviewing his tape so you didn't have a bias going into the study?

Parker is clearly a little soft and needs to get a bit stronger. Every scout on earth says he struggled mightily with press coverage so I'm not sure how his biggest weakness is listed as "ok".

- Not only did I not see him being manhandled by any corner, but Parker held his own against highly touted Florida St. press corner PJ Williams (Scouting report on PJ Williams - Able to face up and handle business from press coverage all game long. Bump-and-run specialist. Length and strength to put a receiver into detour mode off the jam.)

- I did not compare his skill to Randy Moss

- I listed the weaknesses that I saw with my own eyes.

- Not that it matters but I was more enamored with White than I was with Parker before I watched both of their films back in March.

[Detroitcity]

My notes from the film review I did on Parker in 2/15 (2 days before combine:

Devante Parker- above average speed, elite high pointing, shields well from defenders and uses his hands well to win contested situations, plucks the ball, so so blocker, solid agility and can make defends miss , huge catch radius, tough over the middle, might struggle with press

So I mostly agree with you, but the press coverage thing is his biggest issue IMO

FWIW I still prefer K White over Parker because I think he has more upside but it wouldn't shock me if Parker has a better career

[Dynasty DeLorean]

Appreciate the feedback Detroit.

[Csl312]

The poor work ethic/effort thing scares me a lot here. Sure Randy Moss was able to be extremely successful while taking plays (seasons?) off. He was also probably the best WR to ever play the game when he was trying. I tend to steer clear of the guys who might have the skills but don't have their head in the game so much. I appreciate the analysis though, thanks for sharing.

[startstopping]

The poor work ethic/effort thing scares me a lot here. Sure Randy Moss was able to be extremely successful while taking plays (seasons?) off. He was also probably the best WR to ever play the game when he was trying. I tend to steer clear of the guys who might have the skills but don't have their head in the game so much. I appreciate the analysis though, thanks for sharing.

I wouldn't let that concern me much. If you watch every single route from 99% of WR's I think you will see that most of them tend to take plays off sometimes when they know they are not getting the ball.

[Dynasty DeLorean]

Just to clarify I never said I thought he had a poor work ethic, but I do think he'll need a good one in order to work on all the problems I listed. The fact that the Browns passed on him because they didn't think he was tough enough leads me to believe he'll be just fine as the Browns are wrong about everything.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.s ... _by_d.html
"They [The Browns] passed on him for a reason at No. 12 overall: they felt he wasn't tough enough and didn't love the game enough."

[Dookmarriot]

Thanks for sharing, Darkness. I'm high on Parker, and hope he's an auction draft bargain because of the foot. I'll admit that I didn't do as thorough a film analysis as you obviously have done, but I saw him have more trouble with press coverage than you did. Perhaps because I went into my review hearing that was a "flaw." At any rate, it's one negative when there are so many other positives.

The fact that the Browns passed on him because they didn't think he was tough enough leads me to believe he'll be just fine as the Browns are wrong about everything.

Haha got to love "the ugly" here. You compare him to Randy Moss and list nothing as an actual weakness except for run blocking and taking plays off.

Let me guess, you used to be really low on Parker before reviewing his tape so you didn't have a bias going into the study?

Parker is clearly a little soft and needs to get a bit stronger. Every scout on earth says he struggled mightily with press coverage so I'm not sure how his biggest weakness is listed as "ok".

Dude, just because he has a different opinion on Kevin White than you do, don't take it all personal-like. You're acting like he said your mother is a poor run blocker.

[Dynasty DeLorean]

I saw him have more trouble with press coverage than you did. Perhaps because I went into my review hearing that was a "flaw." At any rate, it's one negative when there are so many other positives.

I think that's a good point in that all too often people tend to focus too much attention on a handful of plays and ignore the bigger picture. What I like about Parker's tape is that he doesn't keep screwing up the same thing over and over again. Of course he makes mistakes and of course there are things he needs to work on and be more consistent with, but he doesn't give me the impression that he's incapable of doing any one thing. I have seen him do everything well more often than not, and so whatever problems he may have I believe can be coached up and improved upon at the NFL level.

[startstopping]

Darkness, I really hate you for this! I have 1.3 in a draft on saturday. For Months my plan has been to go kevin white (assuming cooper & gurley go 1,2). This post, and the post on white caused me to go back and re-watch both of their tape on draft breakdown.

I am seriously torn right now and have no idea what to do!!!!!

[JoshGordonsDealer]

Darkness, I really hate you for this! I have 1.3 in a draft on saturday. For Months my plan has been to go kevin white (assuming cooper & gurley go 1,2). This post, and the post on white caused me to go back and re-watch both of their tape on draft breakdown.

I am seriously torn right now and have no idea what to do!!!!!

He's convinced me. I've been going back and forth between the two, and he's got me. If Gurley and Cooper are gone, I'm going Parker.

[startstopping]

Darkness, I really hate you for this! I have 1.3 in a draft on saturday. For Months my plan has been to go kevin white (assuming cooper & gurley go 1,2). This post, and the post on white caused me to go back and re-watch both of their tape on draft breakdown.

I am seriously torn right now and have no idea what to do!!!!!

He's convinced me. I've been going back and forth between the two, and he's got me. If Gurley and Cooper are gone, I'm going Parker.

I am leaning that way as well. They are virtually tied for me, but i think parker would get all the tiebreakers. A little bit younger, more stable QB situation, should be his teams #1 while white will be #2 to alshon.

If i still have them tied or parker ahead when the draft comes saturday I'm gonna try to trade to 1.5 because I'm pretty certain Gordon will go 4.

[SoShady]

Got Parker at 1.10 in my ongoing rookie draft.

For reference White fell all the way to 1.09.

I tried trading up from 1.10 to 1.08 but that guy was in love with Agholor. So sitting back and taking what was leftover sure worked out this time.