'24 Elmhurst (IL) Immaculate Conception Athlete KJ Parker. (UI)
KJ Parker Experiences Iowa Football Official
To say Iowa has believed in KJ Parker for a long time would be an understatement. It's a relationship built up over years.
The Hawkeyes became the first program to offer the 2024 Elmhurst (IL) Immaculate Conception Athlete a scholarship when it did so in December of '21. Iowa State offered later that day. Wisconsin, Cincinnati and others followed.
Parker (5-11, 165) has visited Iowa before. He took an official this weekend.
"I loved the visit. I’m feeling great about Iowa," Parker told HN.
Former Hawkeye safety Matt Bowen serves as an assistant coach at Immaculate Conception. He's visited his alma mater with Parker.
The official visit provided Parker with a closer look inside the Hawkeye program. He saw a tight-knit group.
"I loved how everyone was super close," Parker said.
Sophomore safety Xavier Nwankpa played host to Parker during his official visit. Nwankpa topped the depth chart at strong safety on the spring depth chart.
"Xavier was a great host. He was chill," Parker said.
Cincinnati also received an official visit from Parker this month. He hasn't scheduled any others as of now.
It could come down to the Bearcats of the Big 12 or the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten. Parker enjoys the vibe in Iowa City after this weekend's visit.
"I love the town and the campus because we're like the professional team in the state," he said.
Rivals, On3 and 247Sports all rank Parker as a three-star prospect. Rivals sees him as the No. 14 player overall in Illinois for the recruiting cycle.
Parker caught 37 passes for 1,082 yards (29.2 YPC) and 17 touchdowns in '22, according to Max Preps. He recorded 30 solo tackles (1.0 for loss) with two interceptions and a sack as a defensive back.
