A lot of fans in Denver were hoping the Broncos would call the name of a certain Arizona defender in the sixth round of the NFL draft, and they did; unfortunately, it was the wrong one.
With the departure of Danny Trevathan in free agency Arizona linebacker Scooby Wright looked to be an exciting replacement option in the draft, but John Elway decided to pass up the undersized tackler in favor of his teammate, safety Will Parks.
Parks will join Justin Simmons as the newest members of the “No Fly Zone.”
Here are five things you need to know about him:
He’s versatile
At Arizona, Parks played the Wildcats’ “Spur” safety position, which meant that he was used in a hybrid safety-nickel corner role. Much like Simmons before him, this could help get Parks on the field quickly as an additional defensive back in obvious passing situations.
He’s a huge help in the run game
While Parks was solid in pass coverage, his biggest attribute is his run defense. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s one of the best in the nation.
Will Parks was PFF's 11th-highest-graded safety in 2015, third-highest against the run. #BroncosDraft
— PFF (@PFF) April 30, 2016
He’s a “football player”
Parks may not be the flashiest of players, but he gets the job done. Check out this breakdown from PFF:
“Parks is one the highest-graded secondary players over the last two seasons. Parks may not check a lot of athletic boxes, but he knows how to play football. He lined up all over the Wildcats defense and produced in every facet. Back in 2014 he was our highest-graded cornerback in the FBS”
He has great instincts
While Parks will get caught off guard at times, he’s capable of making up for his mistakes with his great instincts. He’s quick to react, and can often make a play on the ball.
Needs to get stronger
Parks is good at a lot of things, but he needs to continue to get stronger and more physical if he’s ever going to become a constant contributor in the NFL.