Trevor Lawrence ‘impressed’ by ex-Penn State football wide receiver

One of the biggest what-if moments in recent memory is what if Parker Washington stayed another year with the Penn State football team. Drew Allar would have a number one target and the Nittany Lions had a chance to stretch the field vertically. But that’s not how it worked out. Washington declared for the 2023 NFL Draft where he was selected in the 6th round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In year two of the NFL he has already made a big impression on his quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Parker Washington finished his Penn State football career with 146 catches for 1920 yards and 12 touchdowns. He played for the Nittany Lions from 2020-2022 and now his NFL career is starting to take off. He has the opportunity to play with a generational talent in Trevor Lawrence with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The former National Champion and No.1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Lawerence has proven to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

As Washington enters his second season with the Jaguars, Lawrence recently provided his thoughts on the former Nittany Lion.

“Parker Washington has looked great,” Lawrence told the Jacksonville media. “We talked about it before I think, but from last year to this year, such an improvement in the way that he’s played. For him to have a full offseason where he has been healthy has been good for him too. He started off a little injured and it was hard for him to get going, because he went straight into training camp.

“…It’s been cool to see his transformation and how good he looks honestly. I’ve been really impressed. Guy that you see him and he’s a slot receiver but he can play outside, he can kind of do everything and he’s great after the catch too. That’s a guy that I’ve noticed the most.”

Parker Washington going into his 2nd year. The Coaches have loved what they have seen from Parker and so has Trevor Lawrence

"Parker Washington has looked great." pic.twitter.com/ufKBC56toE

— Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) August 8, 2024

How did his rookie year turn out?

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Parker Washington entered his rookie year recovering from an injury. So, to Lawrence’s point, he didn’t have the opportunity to get the reps a rookie would need in the offseason. But that didn’t stop Washington from finding his way onto the field and making a splash.

In 2023, he played in nine games making his first career NFL start. He accounted for 16 receptions for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns. He caught his first career touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals on December 4.

Jacksonville has acquired new wide receiver talent this offseason including Gabe Davis from the Buffalo Bills. They also used their first-round draft pick this past April on Brian Thomas a wide receiver from LSU, so Washington will have to work extra hard to see the field this fall. But the fact that he’s impressed his quarterback is a great start.

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