Cardinal Pros: Two Stanford alum make the NFL leap

Now that the 2020 NFL Draft has had its dust settle, we can assess and look back a bit on what actually went on. We’re checking in with how the process went for both Cardinal members who have joined an NFL team now.

Colby Parkinson was selected in the fourth round with the 133rd pick overall by the Seattle Seahawks.

The Cardinal tight end, though never really realizing what is seen as immense potential, is a mammoth of a man and should be able to utilize his size on the end of Russell Wilson throws more often than he did at The Farm.

Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that Parkinson’s selection meant he became the eighth tight end drafted since 2010 from Stanford.

ESPN even featured them on their broadcast, well most of them.

Seahawks fans seem to really take to the pick, and the Cardinal Twitter accounts gave them something to look forward to.

And then, a few hours later, edge defender Casey Toohill was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round with the 233rd pick.

Toohill was clearly overcome with emotion once he received the phone call from the Eagles.

Toohill’s athleticism was evident anytime you watched him on the field, and especially while at the 2020 Scouting Combine. That’s what drew praise from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah.

That athleticism, measured by Next Gen Stats on their SPARQ score, put Toohill in rarified air as well. Of all the ‘linebacker prospects’ only three players scored a 99 on the SPARQ score, including first-round Isaiah Simmons.

It’s important to note that edge defenders or ‘outside linebackers’ are lumped into the linebacker bucket at the combine, so Toohill is actually the highest-scoring true edge defender from the combine.

We’ll see if that athleticism pans out — but to be compared to that group of athletes is something impressive enough.

Throw in the fact that Cameron Scarlett signed an UDFA contract with the Tennessee Titans and you’ve got three Cardinal pros from this class.

Congratulations, gentlemen! Way to represent the Stanford Way!