Steelers 2023 NFL Draft Targets: Wide Receiver Parker Washington of Penn State

Welcome to the pre-draft season! Leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft starting on April 27th, we will be releasing draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up…

Steelers’ Draft Prospect: Parker Washington (Wide Receiver), Penn State, Junior

OVERVIEW: After drafting George Pickens and Calvin Austin III in 2022, why are we looking at the Steelers adding another young wide receiver to the mix in 2023? The answer is simple; give Kenny Pickett more weapons and a deep receiving corps heading into his sophomore year. Not only that, but give him tough, reliable, physical pass catchers in the inside to help supplement Pat Freiermuth’s and Connor Heyward's efforts. With Diontae Johnson and Pickens holding it down on the outside, Pickett needs help in the slot.

The Steelers’ receiving group hasn’t held consistent cohesion for the past several years, so adding another young depth player to the receiving room would make sense. Not to mention, since head coach Mike Tomlin got hired in 2007, the Steelers have selected 18 receivers in the draft; the odds of them calling one this year are clearly high. But with other positions holding much higher priority, they’ll be looking for value later in the draft. This is where they’ll find Parker Washington.

PROS: Hines Ward redefined the slot receiver position in Pittsburgh. Since his retirement in 2012, we haven’t seen anyone stake their claim for that role. Washington thrived in that power-slot position in college and is following other top-tier Penn State predecessors to having a high ceiling at the next level. Like Ward, Washington has an incredibly dense build at 5’10” and weighing 212 pounds. With his near perfect blend of durability, physicality, and hands, he brings a unique skill set that translates well to the NFL. To help set the tone, Washington held the second-highest contested catch win percentage in college football last year with a 71.4 catch rate, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

Usually lining up inside, Washington has great ability to box out smaller defensive backs with his size or beat bigger defenders in zone coverage with his lateral quickness and twitch off the line. He has smooth, fluid hip movement and can square his body to face the ball and make the catch. Once he has the ball, Washington is a yards-after-catch (YAC) machine and was effective in gaining yards on the ground after making the catch within the first seven yards off the line. Yet, even on seam routes, Washington has deep threat capability and can stretch the defense in zone coverage in the middle of the field. He doesn’t necessarily have that true break-away speed, but he’s effective in his movement and can break a play open when he needs to.

CONS: Because he has a more compact body type, this may limit his catch radius. Washington doesn’t have those long, lengthy arms to help him bring down off-target throws, which scouts love to see in NFL receivers. That may also limit his route tree and how he could be utilized within a NFL offense. Against press-man coverage, Washington has had trouble getting off the line quickly and getting to his spot. He’s had instances where he gets knocked off his routes early by bigger defenders and has trouble getting back into motion. His play-style is physical, but he’ll have to take that to another level to see consistent play time in the NFL.

Another red flag for NFL scouts heading into the draft is Washington’s durability. He is coming off an undisclosed injury that forced him to miss the last couple of games of the 2022 season. He’ll definitely be asked about his recovery and will need to prove he is back to 100 percent to confirm his true draft stock. With his current stock already limited because of his build and restricted utilization within an offense, teams will want to see he can still take hits and keep running through the contact.

DRAFT PROJECTION: 3rd Round

It is hard to find Washington’s name at the top of a lot of draft boards across the current landscape. The 2023 draft class is relatively deep at the receiver position and he’s currently sitting on the fringe of being a top-100 name or being a day three pick. His injury hindered his preliminary draft stock, but as we see him test at the combine and following Pro Day, expect him to creep up some rankings as we get closer to April. For the sake of the Steelers, they currently hold the 80th (third sound) overall and 120th (fourth round) selections. Therefore, Tomlin and company will need to determine early if Washington is inside their top-100 list or not by the third round.

VERDICT: 

If you’re like me, you miss seeing a tough, gritty receiver in the middle of the Steelers’ offense. We may have been spoiled by Ward amidst a historic winning stretch consisting of winning two Super Bowl wins in three appearances in a span of five years. But even in offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s offense, Washington could succeed. Austin III’s potential and role is still unknown and there isn’t much depth beyond that. In terms of the inside receiver role, the Steelers tried Chase Claypool in 2022 but traded him away, leaving a noticeable vacancy. Freiermuth has done his fair share of taking over that spot, but he can’t do it alone. If Washington tests well, I like him at that 80th overall spot. But if for any reason he falls out of the top-100 picks, Tomlin may be able to find some value to start the third day of the draft in Washington.

Where do you see Washington going in April?  Would you want to see him in the black and gold?  Let us know in the comments!

#SteelerNation