Will Parks NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Broncos Rookie

POSITIVES

A high-motor player, Will Parks rarely came off the field when watching Arizona film. In a day and age of subbing defenders, Parks was rock-solid as a leader in the secondary.

He's an instinctive player with top-tier awareness both in the middle of the field and when coming up to play the run. He’s proven himself as a run defender and has the quickness to slide and mirror down the line of scrimmage and the power to shed tight ends or fullbacks when they impact him at the first level.

Parks has played a role as a mix between linebacker and safety and is comfortable playing in the box. He shows the power as a tackler to bring down runners in the open field. He’s a thumper when he gets an angle on the ball and can stand up runners when he meets them in the trenches.

NEGATIVES

Parks is built like a safety but moves like a linebacker. That may tempt a team to try him in a Deone Bucannon role, but that doesn’t fit his skill set nor his 200-pound frame. And with 11 missed tackles on the season, according to Pro Football Focus, Parks has yet to prove he’s a reliable tackler.

A lack of ball skills will be talked about at length when discussing Parks. He had just four interceptions in the past four years and didn’t record one at all in 2015. He did get home on 20 defensed passes in that time span, but his ability to flip the field is questioned.

Without great long speed or open-field burst, Parks projects as a special teams weapon with developmental upside. His awareness and football IQ will keep him in the minds of scouts, but average range and ball skills are tough for a safety to overlook.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 204 lbs.

40 Time: 4.63s

3-Cone: 7.02s

Short Shuttle: 4.45s

PRO COMPARISON: Kelcie McCray, Seattle Seahawks
FINAL GRADE: 5.40/9.00 (Round 7—Backup Caliber)