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Redskins UDFA Spotlight: Donald Parham has the upside needed to be a project tight end

By Jacob Camenker

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 30: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the grass before the start of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 30: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the grass before the start of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium on August 30, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – AUGUST 18: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the grass during a preseason football game between the Redskins and Cleveland Browns at FedExField on August 18, 2014 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by TJ Root/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – AUGUST 18: A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the grass during a preseason football game between the Redskins and Cleveland Browns at FedExField on August 18, 2014 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by TJ Root/Getty Images) /

What Parham can improve

While Parham has a nice, 6-foot-8 frame, weighing in a 240 pounds is more than a bit lean. Comparatively, fellow 6-foot-8 tight end prospect, Zach Gentry, entered the NFL at 262 pounds. Sure, he was a fifth-round pick that went to a Power 5 school (Michigan), but that doesn’t change the fact that Parham is on the light side.

Because of his lacking weight, Parham will have to use his athletic ability more early in his career to have a chance to be productive. NFL-level talent may use physicality as a weapon and they may try to knock him off his routes and disrupt him. They should be able to do that, unless Parham can add some weight to his big frame.

Also, I’ve eluded to this quite a bit, but the jump from the FCS to the NFL level won’t be easy for Parham. It’s not easy for anybody, but a player that can particularly have an effect on a player that needs to become more physical. He’ll have to not get discouraged early on and find ways to win. He has the pure receiving talent to do it, and if he can prove to be a good route runner — which is a question mark given that he mostly ran basic routes at Stetson — he will find a way to make an impact.

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Another question that will be asked of Parham, is he actually a tight end for the next level? His thin frame may make it tough for him to play in-line early in his career. So, he may be more of a guy who could be a mismatch weapon out of the slot. His blocking skills aren’t bad, but his technique is only decent. So, without adding extra strength, decent technique won’t cut it for him as a blocker.

Parham will get a chance to answer these questions in training camp and potentially in the preseason. If he can’t do it, he’ll be more of a practice squad candidate. But, he will have a chance. And then, it’s just about figuring out how he fits in with the Redskins current roster.

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