Penn State wide receiver Washington declares for NFL draft

ALTOONA, Pa. -- Parker Washington's NFL draft decision was always viewed as a wild card, and Friday afternoon he took a path that will be surprising to some.

Washington announced he is declaring for the draft after a solid three-year career at Penn State. He caught 146 passes for 1,920 yards and 12 TDs in three seasons.

"The memories I have made during my time so far with this Penn State family has been and will always be unforgettable. The fans, the Penn State whiteout, the roar of 107K strong ... unbelievable," Washington wrote.

"To my brothers,  there is nothing more treasured to me than having the honor of competing and preparing with you guys each and every week. As well as having the opportunity and all the experiences of such a unique brotherhood. That alone is truly a blessing. To my coaches and the support staff, words could never express my humbleness and gratitude for allowing me the opportunity to develop and mature, not only as a football player, but as a man.

"Thank you to my family and coaches for the discussions, for helping me weigh the pros and cons, for helping me choose the next path in my journey. With that being said, I will be delcaring for the 2023 NFL Draft."

Washington had 46 catches for 611 yards and two TDs this season, highlighted by his 11 catches for 179 yards and one TD performance in a loss to Ohio State.

But Washington missed the final two games of the season after suffering an undisclosed injury, which is believed to be a serious lower-leg injury.

Given the injury and potential uncertainty, it would have made sense for Washington to come back to Penn State for one more year and try to improve his draft stock. Instead, he decided to turn pro and take his chances in the draft.

The 5-foot-10, 212-pounder is considered a third-round draft pick at NFL Mock Draft Database, where he is rated as the No. 92 prospect.

Did Washington make the right decision? Tell us in the comments.

With Washington leaving early and Mitchell Tinsley out of eligibility, Penn State is losing its top two wide receivers. The Lions already have been busy in the transfer portal so far making offers to receivers, and now with Washington gone, finding a top-flight wideout will be even more important.

After Washington and Tinsley, the receivers with the most catches this season were KeAndre Lambert-Smith (21) and Harrison Wallace (17).

GIGER'S TAKE

I’ll admit I’m surprised by Washington's decision. I figured all along it was a good possibility he would turn pro. But given the severity of what I heard about his injury, it seemed like it would have been better to come back for another year.

He has already put a lot on film. But I wonder how effective he will be at the combine or pro day. We’ll see.

I’m seeing 3rd or 4th round most places. So it is a gamble to a degree, because he maybe could have bumped up to 2nd with another good year.

As for Penn State, this puts a HUGE emphasis now on getting not just any wide receiver in the portal, but the RIGHT wide receiver. The Lions have a whole lot to offer with a chance to come in and be the No. 1 guy for a phenom QB in Drew Allar. That will be very appealing to a lot of transfer possibilities.