Jayhawks on top for junior college lineman
Junior college players usually aren't into creating mystery for mystery's sake. For them, there's a feeling of wasted time and a sense of urgency when it comes to reaching the FBS level. Contra Costa (Calif.) Community College offensive lineman Damien Parris fits that mold perfectly.
Ask the three-star prospect what his plans are, and he has them ironed out. Want to know about visits? He knows where he's headed. A frontrunner in his recruitment? He doesn't hide that, either.
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"Right now, I have three top favorites," Parris said. "Kansas is my No. 1. San Diego State is No. 2 and Arizona State is No. 3."
The rest of his words are just as definitive. He talks about his shine for the Jayhawks with honesty. There's no chatter about "the right fit." Instead, he just lays it all out there.
"The coaching staff has that resume, especially Charlie Weis," he said. "He coached in the NFL. He knows what he's talking about. He's an offensive guru. Coach Tim Grunhard, he played in the NFL for a couple of years. He knows what he's talking about. Those coaches have the right resume.
Parris plans to take a trip to San Diego State the first weekend of October, as the Aztecs' game against Hawaii coincides with Contra Costa's bye week. He says he'll definitely make official visits to Kansas and Arizona State as well, but has not nailed down dates for those as of yet.
"Kansas is probably going to be later on," he said. "It will probably be in November, when our season is over if we don't have a bowl game. Arizona State will probably be around December, but I want to get out there to see how it is."
A commitment isn't likely to come until Parris takes his three official visits. He says he doesn't expect to announce his destination until a few days before signing day.
Western Kentucky, San Jose State and Fresno State have also offered Parris, but each was weeded out when the 290-pound tackle established his list of favorites.