DeVante Parker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
DeVante Parker

Parker at Louisville in 2013
No. 11, 1
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1993-01-20) January 20, 1993 (age 32) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:	Ballard (Louisville)
College:	Louisville (2011–2014)
NFL Draft:	2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14
Career history
Miami Dolphins (2015) New England Patriots (2022) Philadelphia Eagles (2024)*
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-AAC (2013) First-team All-Big East (2012) Second-team All-ACC (2014)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 402 Receiving yards: 5,660 Receiving touchdowns: 27
Player stats at PFR

DeVante Parker (born January 20, 1993) is an American former professional football player. He played as a wide receiver for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Parker played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. The Miami Dolphins chose him in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. He was the 14th player picked overall. He also played for the New England Patriots in 2022 and 2023.

Growing Up and High School Sports

DeVante Parker grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. His mom is Raneca Parker, and his dad is Anthony Shelman. His dad also played football for Louisville. DeVante went to Ballard High School. He was a talented athlete in three different sports. He played football, ran track, and played basketball.

Parker was a top football player in high school. He was named All-State twice. In his junior year, he caught 73 passes for 1,438 yards. He also scored 12 touchdowns. As a senior, he caught 68 passes for 1,793 yards. This was one of the best records in state history. He finished his high school career with 3,274 receiving yards. This made him one of Kentucky's all-time leading wide receivers.

He also did well in track & field. He competed as a sprinter for all four years. He placed third in the 100-meter dash in 2011. He also helped his 4 × 100 relay and 4 × 200 relay teams do well.

Experts rated Parker as one of the best wide receivers in the country. He chose to play college football at Louisville. He had other offers from schools like Kentucky and Indiana.

Playing Football in College

DeVante Parker played college football for the Louisville Cardinals. He started playing as a freshman in 2011. He caught 18 passes for 291 yards and scored six touchdowns. One highlight was a 39-yard touchdown catch in his first game.

In 2012, as a sophomore, Parker played in all 13 games. He led his team with 744 receiving yards. He also scored 10 touchdowns on 40 catches. His 10 touchdowns were the most by a Louisville player since 1998. He scored a touchdown in six games in a row.

As a junior in 2013, Parker played in 12 games. He caught 55 passes for 885 yards. He tied a school record with 12 touchdowns. These 12 touchdowns were among the top in the nation. He had three games where he gained over 100 receiving yards.

Parker missed the first seven games of his senior season in 2014 due to an injury. Even so, he played in six games. He still managed to catch 43 passes for 855 yards. He also scored five touchdowns that season.

College statistics

Playing in the NFL

Time with the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins picked DeVante Parker as the 14th player in the 2015 NFL draft. In his first year, he played in 15 games. He scored his first professional touchdown against the New York Jets. He finished his rookie season with 26 catches for 494 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2016, Parker had a strong start to his second season. He caught eight passes for 106 yards against the Patriots. He ended the season with 56 catches for 744 yards and four touchdowns. He also played in his first playoff game.

During the 2017 season, Parker played in 13 games. He had 57 catches for 670 yards and one touchdown. In 2018, he had a career-high 134 receiving yards in one game against the Houston Texans. He finished that season with 24 catches for 309 yards and one touchdown.

In 2019, Parker signed a new contract with the Dolphins. This was his best season yet. He caught 72 passes for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. All of these were career-high numbers for him. He had several games with over 100 receiving yards.

In 2020, Parker continued to play well. He had ten catches for 110 yards against the Seattle Seahawks. He also caught the first touchdown pass thrown by rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He played in 14 games that season. He recorded 63 catches for 793 yards and four touchdowns.

In 2021, Parker dealt with a hamstring injury. He played in ten games that season. He had 40 catches for 515 yards and two touchdowns.

Time with the New England Patriots

On April 5, 2022, Parker was traded to the New England Patriots. In his third game with the Patriots, he had five catches for 156 yards. He scored his first touchdown as a Patriot in the next game. He finished the 2022 season with 31 catches for 539 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2023, Parker signed a contract extension with the Patriots. He played in 13 games that season. He finished with 33 catches for 394 yards.

The Patriots released Parker on March 14, 2024.

Short Time with the Philadelphia Eagles and Retirement

On March 14, 2024, Parker signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, on May 20, 2024, DeVante Parker announced his retirement from football. He played for nine seasons in the NFL.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Postseason