Report: Patriots FaceTimed Local Receiver Prospect Ahead Of NFL Draft

The New England Patriots need to fill up a few holes on the roster. Tom Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The offense was awful in 2019. In other words, the Patriots have to find a (local) receiver, a tight end, and a quarterback.

Wide receiver Aaron Parker played his college football at Rhode Island. He has already talked to the Patriots. What does this mean?

“I got on FaceTime with the Patriots probably about four days ago,” the wideout told WPRI’s Yianni Kourakis on Tuesday. “Me and the wide receivers coach talked about how I’m doing through these times, how I’m still training. He wanted to break down some film with me, break down some coverages — just seeing how I am doing. Embracing the process, stuff like that.”

The Patriots may want the local receiver

Parker and other players of the URI team visited New England’s training camp last summer. He had a chance to take a closer look at the Patriots’ work ethic.

“When we went down there to the Patriots, it was a great experience, just seeing a championship-contending team that’s always up there in the playoffs, playing for Super Bowls and stuff,” he explained. Just seeing how they go about practice, (you) try to take some of those habits, take it to the field and do it yourself, because that’s what you want to be at the end (of the day).”

The Patriots may show interest in Parker, but he won’t be drafted in the first few rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-2 209-pound wideout did really well in agility drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. He ran a 6.94-second three-cone drill (tied for second-best among wideouts) and a 4.23-second short shuttle (fifth). Parker’s contested-catch ability and ball skills were great. According to NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein, he was “fantastic.”

“Parker’s high school basketball background shows up on 50/50 throws,” Zierlein wrote in the receiver’s NFL.com draft profile. “His body control, timing and hand strength translate on any level of football. He’s not fast and is too content to win in the air rather than with clever route running. He’s instinctive working zone-beaters underneath and his toughness as a run blocker will earn him points. Parker is a talented ball-winner as a big slot, but a lack of long speed and separation quickness make improved route-running a top priority for his step up in competition.”