The Jacksonville Jaguars double-dipped from the pool of Penn State players in the 2023 NFL draft, picking tight end Brenton Strange in the second round and wide receiver Parker Washington in the sixth.
Strange says the reunion with Washington is going to mean good things for the Jaguars in more ways than one.
“Parker is a really good player, so we got a steal, for sure,” Strange said at rookie minicamp, via Jaguars.com. “I’m excited to be on a team with Parker just because not only is he a good football player, but we’re also great friends off the field.
“Not only are we gonna hang out off the field and just be friends, but we’re gonna go over the playbook and challenge each other. We’re gonna make each other better off the field.”
Washington finished his three-year career at Penn State with 146 receptions for 1,920 yards and 12 touchdowns.
“Having a young guy like this with the ability to create some plays offensively just gives us another weapon, another target for Trevor [Lawrence] and the quarterbacks to throw to,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said of Washington after the draft. “Excited to get him in here and get him going and seeing what he can do.”
While there won’t be much competition for Strange to earn a roster spot at tight end following the departures of Dan Arnold and Chris Manhertz, Washington may have a tougher time at receiver. The Jaguars have a solid group of veterans in Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Jamal Agnew.
The sixth-round rookie will compete with several players, including Tim Jones, Kevin Austin Jr., and Jaray Jenkins, for the final spot(s) at receiver on the 53-man roster.
