Steven Parker
6'4" 265lbs DE
RS Senior
Transfer UIW
Up to this point, Steven Parker has enjoyed a successful football career, wining a high school state football championship at South Oak Cliff, earning recognition as a highly recruited 4-star athlete, and having a stellar career at UIW. Despite these accomplishments, a question looms over Steven's ability: can he excel at the D1 level?
Before joining UIW, Steven played for the Kansas Jayhawks, technically a D1 program while he was there. However, their overall record during Steven's time there was 5-28, including losses to Coastal Carolina in three consecutive years, with the last defeat being 49-22. I am convinced that the 2022 UIW team would have blown out the 2021 Jayhawks. Hence, Steven's initial experience in D1 football doesn't accurately represent the player he is today. Now, with one last year of eligibility, Steven has the opportunity to showcase his true abilities at this level.
Despite possessing the size and speed to compete in the Sun Belt, I have some reservations about his noticeable drop in production in 2023 compared to his stellar 2022 season. While at UIW in 2023, he assumed a more prominent role, stepping out of the shadows of some of his talented 2022 teammates. Initially regarded as a 2023 pre-season candidate for the defensive player of the year in FCS, his significant decline in production towards the end of the season, with only 1 solo tackle and ½ sack in his last 4 games, eliminated any possibility of receiving that award. Although there is a chance that he was hampered by injury, PFF's data indicates that his snap count remained unaffected.
Listed at 6’4” and 265 pounds, Steven possesses ideal size for a TXST DE. He exhibits good quickness and a decent get-off. In the game against UTEP, where he frequently faced double-teams, he still made plays. While his performance may not have been dominant or reminiscent of Ben Bell, he certainly stood out as one of the better players on the field. Given our need for DEs, especially with the departure of starter Jordan Revels and five other rotational DEs from last year, Steven is an important piece to our 2024 success.
I rate Steven as follows:
Measurables: 4.9
Would like to see 10 more lbs of muscle
Skill: 4.3
I want to see more. Should of had Ben Bell type numbers in FCS.
Other: 5.0
Position of need. Reunites with Coach O'Guin
Overall: 4.73
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