Parker Washington Could Stay In-State With Steelers

INDIANAPOLIS -- Joey Porter Jr. isn't the only Penn State Nittany Lion garnering attention from the Pittsburgh Steelers at the NFL Combine. Junior wideout Parker Washington revealed that he had a formal meeting with the Steelers brass.

"It wouldn't be bad to go back to PA at all," he said.

Washington, who has spent the majority of his time playing in the slot at Penn State, compared his game to a couple of big time NFL ballers.

"Cooper Kupp. Deebo Samuel," he said. "I like Deebo Samuel a lot. Being able to be a playmaker, so versatile and can play any position on the field. And then Cooper Kupp, just his IQ, being able to understand defenses and understand everyone's assignments and where the soft spots are in the defense."

It was very clear that Penn State made a concentrated effort to get the ball into Washington's hands for him to make magic happen after the catch.

"I just want to be able to show I can make plays anywhere," he said.

As far as his work as a route runner, Washington explained his process based on his alignment.

"In the slot, it could be a little bit more difficult sometimes because you have to work against more defenders," Washington explained. "But it's almost the same, you got to be able to get open, get to the right spot at the right time and make the play."

Washington was a three-year contributor in college, lining up in the slot on 87.5% of his snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. With Chase Claypool now in Chicago, the Steelers really don't have anyone on their roster right now that you feel confident in securing that slot position making it likely that they at least bring in some competition for Anthony Miller or Calvin Austin.

The most intriguing part of Washington's game is his ability to make something happen after the catch, forcing 31 missed tackles over the past two seasons alone. He's not the most dynamic speedster in this draft class, but he possesses a thick lower half and he uses that lower body strength to bounce of defenders with ease to create those yards after contact. There are times when you would think he was a running back with his impressive contact balance and toughness.

In a draft class with many slot options with varying different skill sets, Washington's secure hands definitely set him apart from some of the other guys. He only dropped five passes in the past two seasons and is really comfortable snagging the ball out of the air, even away from his frame or over the top of defenders.

There's a good chance that Pittsburgh is going to add a wide receiver at some point on draft weekend and it will more than likely be a slot-capable player. If they wait until the middle rounds to address the position, Washington certainly makes quite a bit of sense as a unique talent to add to the equation on offense.

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