High Priority In-State Offensive Tackle William Parker Goes In-Depth on Recruitment, Decision Timeline
Pearl Cohn(TN) star William Parker is one of the most coveted prospects in the state of Tennessee, and his agility coupled with a 6'5, 325lbs frame is a big reason why. He is a road grader that possesses the agility to be an effective pass protector, and he has several heavy hitters volleying for his services. Parker took time with VR2 to break down his recruitment and more.
He said on how the COVID-19 shutdown changed his recruitment, "it changed my recruitment a lot. Schools just tried to show me how they wanted to build a relationship with me. Every coach has been super cool and nice, and I like it. It was alright, even though I did not get to take visits."
Parker added on the intensity of his recruitment picking up after the shutdown, "it sparked up pretty fast. At first, I was having a phone situation, so I was zooming coaches off the computer. They would have to email, so every day, I would get an email from another coach saying Zoom meeting today at 3. It was alright."
The coveted prospect has used this time to narrow his focus of schools, and really break down each one of them. He said, "I am focusing on Florida, Kentucky, Bama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Louisville. Those are the schools that are prioritizing me and talking to me about life more than football."
Parker breaks down each contender here.
On Florida, he said, "last year they had to revamp their offense when they started throwing the ball all over teams. So, that is big, just knowing it is a pass-first offense. They are telling me if you come in and get a lot of playing time, there is going to be a lot of tape and recognition there for you with going to the pros. They are always on me and talk to me a lot."
On Louisville, Parker said, "it is not that far, and it had a homey feel to it when I went on my unofficial. Louisville is a place that wins. They have had two tackles in the last few years selected high. Their quarterback and running back would be there if I come, so that is another big thing. They always do well in their conference, so that is why I like them a lot."
On Kentucky, he said, "that is a school that is very fun. It is a fun program. They have a lot going on. It is a place that I think any kid would like to be. It is a fun environment. They are some crazy fun coaches to be around, and I think it would be good to be coached by them."
On Georgia, Parker said, "it is a lot of gurus there. Guys that know how to get you to the next level. They have some of the most highly decorated lineman, and they dominate you. They are O-line U right now, so that is why I like them a lot."
On his dream school growing up, Alabama, Parker said, "that is my dream school. That is a school I wanted to go when I started playing football and getting offers. That is a school growing up as a kid, I always had elephants, and I was walking around saying, 'roll tide.' I have family there, too. My grandad is from there, so that is somewhere I have always dreamed about going to."
On the in-state Vols, he added, "it is on the come up. It is very booming right now. It has a lot of upsides. It is a good situation for any offensive lineman coming in. You have both of your tackles possibly leaving after I get there, so you have a tackle spot open. That is what you dream of when choosing a school. Who wouldn't want the chance to play right away? That is the craziest group of coaches that recruit me. They are a funny group of guys, and they are coming after me hard.
Parker said on staying close to home and playing for the Vols, "it is very nice to think about being a state hero. That is something you dream about too. You are right down the street, everybody, all your old teachers, anybody can come an see you play. That is what I like about that."
Tennessee has one extra wildcard in former Pearl Cohn Star Elijah Simmons, and Parker said, "Elijah, he looks at me like I am his sophomore. He doesn't talk to me a whole lot about recruitment because he had a hard time with his recruitment. He tells me to not let it stress me out. He doesn't throw things at me. He just lets it be subtle. He will say, 'hey, you know I am at a good school or something like that.' He really doesn't try to push me too hard."
Parker is ready to start narrowing down to a decision. He said, "I am ready to get it over after my 18th birthday which is September 1st. We have a game on that Friday, so probably the day before. Probably sometime right around September 1st."
Parker is rated as the the 497th best prospect in the nation, and he is the the 15th ranked prospect in the state of Tennessee, according to 247 Sports Composite rankings.