Eyebrows were raised when it was revealed the Seattle Seahawks were using their first pick in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft on Stanford tight end Colby Parkinson.
After all, the Seahawks signed Greg Olsen and re-signed both Jacob Hollister and Luke Willson this offseason, giving them four solid tight ends – alongside Will Dissly – for the 2020 campaign.
However, Parkinson is not just a tight end, he’s a six-foot-seven red zone weapon who lined up on the inside and the outside while in college, and his versatility and willingness to learn a variety of different positions will make him a valuable piece of this Seahawks team right away.
“This past year, I probably split time with my hand in the ground and standing up, maybe leaning more toward having my hand in the ground,” Parkinson told Seattle media on a conference call shortly after getting selected. “I think I could do both. When I get to Seattle, they will obviously use me whatever way is best for them. I will just go compete for a spot and try to soak up as much as I can.”
Parkinson not only focused on playing traditional tight end and out wide – he actually committed to learning every single position the field while at Stanford his freshman year, to help him earn more playing time.
“Something I did at Stanford, my freshman year, was learn every single position on the field,” Parkinson continued. “That way, I could be used at any position. Obviously, I didn’t play as much as I did this past year, in my freshman year, but was able to get in maybe 15-20 snaps a game as a true freshman because of my knowledge of the playbook. So, I think that is something I will definitely try to replicate as I come in to Seattle.”
Coach Pete Carroll loves guys who offer positional flexibility, and Parkinson’s size, willingness to learn, and soft hands should allow him to carve out a role on this team in 2020 – even with all the other tight ends still on the roster.
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