Penn State Football: which Nittany Lions can improve their draft stock the most in 2022?

Parker Washington – wide receiver

Many folks around the college football landscape are not fully aware of what Parker Washington brings to the table.

Being that he was not the primary pass-catcher for Penn State Football last season, Washington may get overlooked by some. Though there is one draft expert who knows what Washington is capable of. Mike Renner, the lead draft analyst for Pro Football Focus, had this to say about the Nittany Lions’ wideout.

"“He’s the early favorite for the best pure slot in this draft class.”"

Still, almost no one currently has him slated as a first-round pick, but that will likely change by the end of the season.

With the Sugar Land, TX, native now having an opportunity to be the focal point of the offense, he will almost certainly become a household name across college football, and many will begin to realize that Penn State will once again have one of the nation’s top receivers.

Many of the country’s top receivers reside in the Big Ten. Ohio State’s Jaxson Smith-Njigba is regarded by many as being the nation’s best wideout heading into the season, and while it is tough to argue that, there is one category that Washington has him beat.

In the modern, pass-heavy era of football, having a dynamic wide receiver is as important as ever. As a result, six wideouts were selected in the first round of the 2022 draft, and there’s nothing to suggest that next season will be any different. I have no doubt that Washington is a top six draft-eligible receiver.

Parker Washington probably sits around a late second round to early third round selection at this point in time, but the star receiver for Penn State Football has the opportunity to play his way into a first-round pick as one of the top pass-catchers in the draft class.