Pros and cons of Raiders picking Memphis’ Parham in NFL draft
Memphis football offensive lineman Dylan Parham is headed to the Las Vegas Raiders as the 90th overall selection in the NFL draft.
Parham was drafted in the third round Friday night and is just third Tigers offensive lineman to be drafted since 1994. Parham’s former linemate Dustin Woodard was drafted in the seventh round in 2020 by the New England Patriots.
Here’s what Raiders fans should expect from Parham.
The positives
Parham was a four-year starter at Memphis at three different positions. He initially was recruited as a tight end, then switched to defensive line before playing offense. He was versatile enough to start at left guard, right tackle and right guard.
He’s also athletic and durable. Parham never missed a start and thrived in whatever role he was placed in. In his lone season at right guard last year, he was a first-team ALL-AAC selection.
Several draft scouts believe he can compete at center and he took reps during Memphis’ Hawaii Bowl practice. It might be a new position but if history is any indication, he’ll fit in well. He can also stick to guard and thrive there.
The concerns
At 6-foot-2, Parham is smaller than most centers and never played the position. He also has just four years of experience as a lineman after switching in spring 2018.
He had his share of false start penalties, especially over the past two seasons. There’s room for him to grow but will teams be patient as he develops to a new position?
Final thoughts
Parham’s time at Memphis will be defined by versatility and effectiveness. It’s not easy playing three different spots on the offensive line but he thrived to be a valuable cog in the offense.
The fact he’s being viewed at center speaks to Parham’s potential and promise learning a new role. There might be a learning curve but given Parham’s history, he’s shown that he can handle position changes without much problem.