Tag: Colby Parkinson

Stephen Sullivan gives Seahawks another hybrid tight end/wide receiver

Stephen Sullivan is a hybrid tight end/wide receiver whom the Seattle Seahawks will hope to develop into a big slot during the 2020 season.

The Seattle Seahawks nearly saw their streak of 19 years making at least one pick in the seventh round of the NFL draft come to an end, but a last minute trade netted them the 251st overall pick in the seventh round, which they used to take LSU receiver Stephen Sullivan.

Sullivan joins Colby Parkinson and Freddie Swain as two new pass catchers on this Seattle team.

Although he is listed as a tight end by most draft analysts, the Seahawks called Sullivan a wide receiver in their draft announcement, an indication they view him as a candidate to make a position change.

At six-foot-five and 248 pounds, Sullivan truly fits the bill as.an oversized slot receiver, if that’s where Seattle wants to play him. He’s flashed potential as a physical pass catcher with speed to burn – running a 4.66 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, a mark that placed second among tight ends.

Sullivan has some work to do as a blocker, part of the reason Seattle is classifying him as a receiver, but as a developmental piece who the Seahawks can stash on the practice squad while he adjusts to the NFL – and a position change – Sullivan will be a fun player to track in 2020 and beyond.

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Seahawks TE Colby Parkinson learned every position while at Stanford

As a freshman at Stanford, Seahawks draft pick Colby Parkinson committed to learn every position on the field to earn more playing time.

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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WATCH: Seahawks tight end Colby Parkinson’s Stanford highlights

Take a look at some of the best highlights of the Seattle Seahawks’ newest tight end Colby Parkinson’s impressive campaign at Stanford.

The Seattle Seahawks have added an impressive body to the tight end room for the upcoming season. Seattle selected Stanford tight end, Colby Parkinson, in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft with the No. 133 overall selection.

Parkinson stands at an intimidating six-foot-seven and 251 pounds, and will be a welcome target for quarterback Russell Wilson on the field this year. According to Pro Football Focus, Robinson didn’t drop a single pass in 2019 – a stat well worth noting.

Here’s a look at some of the best highlights of Parkinson’s Stanford career. You can read more about Parkinson here.

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Seahawks add versatile pass-catcher in TE Colby Parkinson

The Seattle Seahawks added a big, versatile tight end in the 2020 NFL draft, picking Stanford’s Colby Parkinson in Round 4.

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The Seattle Seahawks used their first pick on day three of the 2020 NFL draft to snag tight end Colby Parkinson out of Stanford University.

It was the first time Seattle drafted a Stanford player since 2011, when the team took cornerback Richard Sherman.

Parkinson, like most of Seattle’s picks before him, does not appear to fill an immediate need on this roster. With Will Dissly, Greg Olsen, Jacob Hollister and Luke Willson all in the mix, Seattle seems set at tight end for the 2020 season.

However – Parkinson is a hybrid pass-catcher who stands an imposing six-foot-seven and was used in the slot and all the way out wide with the Cardinal, meaning he is not your traditional tight end.

The Seahawks love big receiving targets, and while Parkinson may be labeled as a tight end he has the versatility, body control, route-running ability and size to be an elite pass catcher at the NFL level – not to mention a bonafide stud as a red zone target for Russell Wilson.

How he is utilized in year one remains to be seen, but the injury concerns surrounding Dissly and the age of Olsen and Willson made adding a young tight end a priority for this Seattle squad, and Parkinson has the versatility to be an instant contributor on this team in 2020.

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Seahawks select Stanford tight end Colby Parkinson at No. 133 overall

The Seattle Seahawks have selected Stanford tight end, Colby Parkinson, at No. 133 overall in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Seattle Seahawks have selected Stanford tight end, Colby Parkinson, at No. 133 overall in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Bears target o-line, safety, tight end in new 5-round mock draft

With the 2020 NFL Draft just about a week away, we’re close to seeing what Bears GM Ryan Pace does for this roster.

With the 2020 NFL Draft just about a week away, we’re close to seeing what Bears general manager Ryan Pace does for this roster with needs on both the offense and defense.

In Sports Illustrated’s new five-round mock draft, Kevin Hanson has the Bears addressing three important needs in offensive line, safety and tight end.

With the 43rd overall pick, Hanson has Chicago landing Michigan offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz. While Ruiz has lined up at center for the last two seasons with the Wolverines, he’s capable of playing either left or right guard. Considering the Bears have a starting right guard job up for grabs, Ruiz could battle it out amongst Germain Ifedi, Alex Bars and Rashaad Coward.

Then the with the 50th overall selection, Hanson has the Bears targeting Southern Illinois safety Jeremy Chinn. Chinn’s athleticism and ball skills make him one of the best safeties in this draft class. And with the Bears looking to fill the starting strong safety spot opposite Pro Bowler Eddie Jackson, Chinn would be a great fit paired with one of the NFL’s best safeties.

In the fifth round, with the 164th overall pick, Hanson has Chicago taking Stanford tight end Colby Parkinson, which addresses the Bears’ need at a position of need without targeting one too early in the NFL Draft. Parkinson serves as an extra receiver out on the field, and at 6-foot-7, he’d be a big target for Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles, especially in the red zone.

The Bears currently have seven draft picks, but they only have two selections in the first four rounds. The Bears have two second-round picks, as well as one pick in the fifth round and two picks both in the sixth and seventh rounds.

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2020 NFL draft: Colby Parkinson scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Stanford tight end prospect Colby Parkinson

Colby Parkinson | TE | Stanford

Elevator Pitch

Parkinson immediately stands out on the football field with this size. Standing 6-7, his 33-inch arms tell the story for this Stanford tight end. A school that has produced plenty of NFL tight ends. He using his length to his advantage and he could be well on his way to becoming an eventual starter at the next level.

Vitals

Height | 6-7

Weight | 252

Class | Junior

College Stats

College Bio

Strengths

It is best to get Parkinson involved in the redzone as often as possible. With his size and length, he is a jump ball target. Not many players in the NFL could compete with his ability to rise above the rest. Not to mention he has a vertical of 32.5″ and he can snag the ball away from his frame. Shows good hands on film and he consistently high points the ball that keeps defenders from being able to make a play.

Parkinson brings the ability to line up in multiple spots on offense that allows the team to use creative ways to get him the ball. Can line up out wide as a big slot, inline or as a “H” back. Has length to be a solid blocker in the run game. As a receiver, he can win at all three levels although he isn’t much of a deep threat. However, with his size it won’t be hard to fit him the ball in tight coverage with a huge catch radius.

Weaknesses

He is a bit lean in his frame. He could add muscle to his frame to help in the physical aspects of his game. While he can be a solid blocker, he still needs work on technique to become a better one and get more snaps on the field. He is more of a pass catcher than blocker at this point. Struggles with leverage due to his size but needs to nail down technique. It will be a big reason he won’t get more snaps without improvement.

He lacks the quickness to get into his route quickly, needs time to get into his breaks. He shouldn’t be the first or second option on the play. Needs to work on his release from the inline position as well. The physical aspect of his game leaves a lot to be desired for such a big player.

Projection: Day 3

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