Patriots Have Spoken With URI Receiver Aaron Parker Ahead Of NFL Draft
BOSTON (CBS) -- With 12 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, Bill Belichick has plenty of options up and down the board. There's a good shot that at least one of those selections will be used on a wide receiver.
And the Patriots have already been in touch with a receiver who made a name for himself about an hour away from Gillette Stadium: URI wideout Aaron Parker.
In a chat with WPRI's Yianni Kourakis, Parker revealed that he has spoken with the Patriots during the pre-draft process. He had a FaceTime meeting with the team's wide receiver coach, though he didn't reveal who that was. (The Patriots have not named a new wide receivers coach since Joe Judge's departure for the New York Giants.)
"I got on FaceTime with the Patriots probably about four days ago," Parker said Tuesday. "Me and the wide receivers coach just talked about how I am doing through these times, how am I still training. He wanted to break down some film with me, break down some coverages. Just see how I am doing, embracing the process and stuff like that."
Parker said he has also spoken to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans ahead of the draft.
A former high school quarterback who was committed to Eastern Michigan as a linebacker, he opted to head to URI as a receiver instead. That move has certainly paid off.
While the Rams went just 2-10 in 2019, Parker had a standout season. He led the CAA with 81 receptions for 1,224 yards, and found the end zone nine times as a senior. His 30 career touchdowns with the Rams are the third-most in program history, and he is one of just two players to rack up 3,000 receiving yards in his career.
He said his pitch to teams that are considering drafting him is simple: He's a gritty player who is dangerous with the ball in his hands. Teams shouldn't be concerned that his numbers came against FCS competition. He's a hard worker who believes he can succeed at any level.
"You're going to get a natural leader out of me that is going to go out and compete every day. Waking up every day to be a better person than I was yesterday," he said. "Going out there and practice, giving my full 100 percent effort to do what it takes to win."
Sounds like he fits the mold for a late-round pick by Belichick.
