DeVante Parker is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. His selection came in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He attended Louisville University and participated in the school’s football program.
Parker is the child of Anthony Shelman, a former running back for Louisville, and Raneca Parker. He was a three-sport star in basketball, track, and football while he was a student at Louisville, Kentucky’s Ballard High School.
He earned two All-State honors. As a junior, he hauled in 73 passes for 1,438 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Courier-Journal recognized him as a first-team All-State selection. He racked up 209 yards and one touchdown against 6-A state champion Trinity, 137 and two and 184 and two in two contests against No. 2 St. Xavier, 321 yards and two against 6-A semifinalist Male, and 227 yards and three in just three quarters against 3-A state champion Central.
Along with Lamar Dawson of Boyle County, he was selected co-winner of the Paul Hornung Award as the state’s best player. As a senior, he caught 68 passes for 1,793 yards (26.4 yards per catch), scoring 19 touchdowns, which ranks fourth all-time in state history.
He concluded his career with 3,274 receiving yards, good for sixth all-time in the state behind John Cole (4,981) from Somerset, Gerad Parker (4,736) from Lawrence County, Montrell Jones (4,345) from Male, and Chris Lofton (3,511) from Mason County
What team is DeVante Parker on?
DeVante Parker plays for the New England Patriots. Parker and a 2022 fifth-round selection were traded to the New England Patriots on April 5, 2022, in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick.