Jacob Parrish doesn’t look like the cornerbacks NFL teams usually dream on. At 5'9, he’s short for an outside defender, and that has long been one of the first boxes evaluators check when they size up the position. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though, are giving him a real shot anyway.
Heading into training camp, Parrish is expected to battle Benjamin Morrison for the starting outside cornerback job opposite Zyon McCollum. Tampa Bay also added Miami Hurricane nickel corner Keionte Scott in the 4th round, but Parrish remains in the mix for a major role.
If he comes out on top, the assignment is clear: show that instincts, athleticism, and competitiveness can make up for what he gives away in size.
That won’t be easy. Outside corners spend plenty of time matched up with receivers who are 6'2" or taller, and that creates obvious problems on contested throws and jump balls. Bigger wideouts can use their frame to wall off defenders, especially near the sideline and in the red zone.
Parrish does have tools that help him survive in that environment. His speed lets him stay attached vertically, and his footwork and change of direction give him the ability to mirror routes across the field.
He also plays with more physicality than his frame suggests, and he’s not afraid of contact even when he’s giving up size to almost everyone he faces. That showed up against 6'4 Tetairoa McMillan, where Parrish battled the taller receiver on multiple plays and got his hands on passes despite being half a foot shorter.
There’s also a scheme fit here. Todd Bowles wants his corners to be aggressive, to challenge receivers at the line, and to trust their athleticism in man coverage. That kind of approach can help a player like Parrish, who has shown throughout his career that confidence is not a problem.
Morrison, of course, brings a different kind of appeal. He entered the league with the look of a prototypical outside corner and has the length teams usually want at the position. If he’s fully healthy after dealing with injuries, his size and ball skills make him a strong contender for the job.
Training camp will sort out the rest, but Parrish being in this fight says plenty about how Tampa Bay sees him. The Buccaneers clearly believe his athleticism, instincts, and competitive nature give him a legitimate chance to beat the height issue that has followed him into the league.
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Bucs Camp Depth Already Takes A Hit In Two Key Battles
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Lucas had been part of a cornerback group that did not have much margin for error, while Ndubuisi was among the linemen trying to carve out a role in a crowded competition. The Buccaneers also waived safety JaQurious Conley with a non-football injury designation, another reminder that the back end of the roster is already being tested before the first preseason snaps have even started. [Read more 🡒]
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Tristan Wirfs Just Got The Kind Of NFL Respect Bucs Fans Hate
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So the surprise for Buccaneers fans is not that Wirfs made the NFL Top 100 list, but where he landed on it. At No. 52, he was recognized, just not in the way his production might suggest, and that only adds to the sense that he is still being treated like a player on the rise rather than the most accomplished name on Tampa Bays roster. For a young offensive line looking for a veteran anchor, Wirfs is already the standard, even if the rest of the league has not quite caught up. [Read more 🡒]