Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Parker Washington just earned the kind of comparison Carolina fans don’t hand out lightly. After Washington caught six passes for 124 yards and both Jaguars touchdowns in a 19-17 win over the Eagles in London, ESPN’s Marcus Spears said on “NFL Live” that the player he sees is “Steve Smith, to me,” as ClutchPoints reported.
Washington’s day at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium included a 51-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter and a 27-yard grab on fourth down over cornerback Riq Woolen that put Jacksonville up 16-14 with 3:20 left. Through five games he has 22 catches for 352 yards and four touchdowns, and the Jaguars are 4-1 and leading the AFC South.
The IAHHM Take
In the Carolinas, Steve Smith isn’t just a comparison. He’s a standard. The five-time Pro Bowler played bigger than his frame every Sunday and made Panthers football feel like it had an attitude. So when someone says “Steve Smith,” we’re going to check the tape.
Here’s what fits: Washington is built low and thick like Smitty, he wins contested balls a guy his size isn’t supposed to win, and he showed up in the biggest moment of the game. What doesn’t fit yet is the résumé. Smith did it for over a decade. Washington has five strong games.
Still, the style is real. If he keeps catching fourth-down dimes over corners, this comparison will stop sounding like hype.
Panthers fans, you’re the judges here: is the Steve Smith comp fair, or should Spears pump the brakes? Let us know.
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Source: ClutchPoints
