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DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
With two first round picks in the 2015 NFL Draft (picks 12 and 19), no team has been linked to more prospects or more rumored to be in draft day deals than the Cleveland Browns. Combined with the fact that the team had two first round picks last year, 2015 is shaping up to be crucial for a franchise that is desperately looking for stability and growth.
Just a year removed from getting CB Justin Gilbert and QB Johnny Manziel in the first round, the Browns find themselves back at square one, with Gilbert playing only 373 snaps last year and with the reports by ESPN's Chris Mortensen that the team is "90 percent" done with the talented, but troubled 2nd year QB.
All of this is without even mentioning the Josh Gordon situation at wide receiver. In selecting DeVante Parker, the Browns get a unique player who possesses perhaps the highest potential of any of the wide receivers and someone who can step right in and produce for an offense that has seen the offseason losses of QB Brian Hoyer, WR Miles Austin, and TE Jordan Cameron.
Parker totaled 156 receptions for 2,775 yards and 33 touchdowns during his career at Louisville. More impressively, he has dropped only three passes since 2012. Despite missing the first seven games of 2014, Parker still managed to catch 43 passes for 855 yards and 5 touchdowns while garnering second team AllACC honors. Here is video of Parker's first game back from injury against NC State:
Parker is a tall wide receiver whose dangerous speed and long strides stretch the field vertically. He uses his body well to get off the line of scrimmage, shows great acceleration, and always competes for balls thrown in his direction. Possessing an 80inch wingspan and a remarkable catch radius, he is not only a deep threat, but also a red zone nightmare that attacks the ball in the air at its highest point and is near impossible to defend oneonone. He is one of the best coming out this year's draft in jump ball situations in the end zone.
What is noticeable on film about Parker is the fact that he catches the ball with his hands away from his body. He shows above average route running ability, great concentration, and rarely takes plays off. He is a tough and willing blocker. For all the hype surrounding Alabama WR Amari Cooper and West Virginia WR Kevin White, DeVante Parker is a bit of both Cooper's speed and quickness and White's strength and physicality.
DeVante Parker will step in for the Browns from Day 1 and provide a legitimate weapon and target for QB Josh McCown or whoever lines up under center for Cleveland this season. While there is uncertainty and many rumors about the quarterback situation (McCown, Manziel, trade for Bradford, trade up for Mariota), there is no doubt that the selection of Louisville WR DeVante Parker will add an exciting playmaker on offense whose top10 talent will surely translate to onthefield success for the Cleveland Browns in 2015.
DeVante Parker Measurables/Comparables:
DeVante Parker Spider Graph:
1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (slickpablovick) - Jameis Winston, QB, FSU - [Explanation]
2) Tennessee Titans (mchiodo) - Leonard Williams, DE, USC - [Explanation]
3) Jacksonville Jaguars ("Snax") - Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, UF - [Explanation]
4) Oakland Raiders (kylebruneault) - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama - [Explanation]
5) Washington Redskins (BigTimeTMZ) - Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon - [Explanation]
6) New York Jets (4thand26) - Kevin White, WR, WVU - [Explanation]
7) Chicago Bears (rohan915) - Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson - [Explanation]
8) Atlanta Falcons (GMinTraining) - Danny Shelton, DT, Washington - [Explanation]
9) New York Giants (Grandpapa Joe) - Landon Collins, S, Alabama - [Explanation]
10) St. Louis Rams (deg0ey) - Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa - [Explanation]
11) Minnesota Vikings (ablesser88) - Trae Waynes, CB, MSU - [Explanation]
12) Cleveland Browns (djcunningham) - DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville - [Explanation]
13) New Orleans Saints (del.champion) -
14) Miami Dolphins (drc242) -
15) San Francisco 49ers (SleepingDuck) -
16) Houston Texans (JaviYL) -
17) San Diego Chargers (StoneColeKiller58) -
18) Kansas City Chiefs (jimmyrustler) -
19) Cleveland Browns (NowWhat?) -
20) Philadelphia Eagles (sports00fan00) -
21) Cincinnati Bengals (Zach_The_Gamecock) -
22) Pittsburgh Steelers (KJ Brophy) -
23) Detroit Lions (KamiKazeJEDI) -
24) Arizona Cardinals (ItownBallers22) -
25) Carolina Panthers (AndyMcNabb) -
26) Baltimore Ravens (dceagles) -
27) Dallas Cowboys (kamjam) -
28) Denver Broncos (WubbaLubbaDubDub) -
29) Indianapolis Colts (ei78) -
30) Green Bay Packers (Nka727) -
31) New Orleans Saints (SwoopThereItIs) -
32) New England Patriots (naderg43) -