Tyler Parker, nicknamed 'Teen Hulk' at age 14, now trying to dispel 'too short' doubters

California high school lineman enters his senior year as a 3-star recruit expecting to make his college decision soon

California high school football player Tyler Parker went viral as a 14-year-old sophomore for his impressive physique. / Jackson Bilawa (Instagram: @jb.snaps_)

Tyler Parker became a national sensation in 2022 when he posted a picture of himself on social media that looked bodybuilder-worthy — and he was only 14.

Then a sophomore at Santa Margarita High School in California, Parker is about to start his senior season playing for Crean Lutheran in Irvine.

Parker, listed as 6 feet, 295 pounds as a sophomore, is now 6 feet, 300 pounds as a senior.

So the kid who made an appearance on Access Hollywood in 2022 based on his prodigious size is now trying to dissuade doubters that he's too small to be a Power 5 defensive lineman in college.

Parker finished his junior year at Crean with 60 tackles (six for loss) in 12 games, plus four sacks.

He enters his senior year as a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, with offers listed there from Arizona, Cal, Colorado and Miami, among others.

Parker showcased his skills at 12 college camps over the summer.

"I'll be having a decision late July, early August, right before football season for sure," Parker told Rivals.com in March, also noting in the video interview that Florida is "iffy on offering guys at 6-foot."

Parker has backers on social media urging major college programs to stop focusing on his "small" size:

My dawggg💯💯 https://t.co/0HydXcVktt

— Tyler Parker (TP) (@iam_tylerparker) June 8, 2024

Two years ago, Parker was a big man on campus, visiting USC with a number of recruits and attending his first college football game.

"I did not understand that this was a big recruiting weekend at first," he told SBLive Sports Director of Recruiting Andrew Nemec. "I thought it was just another visit. But I loved it all. They showed me amazing hospitality. I was there will my niece and my mother. They showed me a lot, they knew who I was immediately and took care of me and my family very well. I had fun with some people that I know and made new connections. It was an unreal experience." 

Now, heading into his senior year, the 300-pound teenager is trying to shed his image of being "too short."

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports