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football Edit

Parker inching through recruitment

Steven Parker is the top uncommitted prospect in the state of Oklahoma. He may know that. He may not. That doesn't really matter all that much. Either way, he plans to retain that title for a while.
Ask the four-star safety for frontrunners, and he has none. Ask him about a possible trimming of his list, and he's uncertain. Parker is behind the curve on this whole recruiting thing. So while other players of his caliber are choosing schools and announcing finalists, he's shrugging his shoulders.
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Even his travel schedule is a work in progress.
"I keep saying I'm going to get down to Michigan and Ohio State," Parker said. "But I still don't have that planned yet. I've tried calling them to set it up, but they didn't answer. So I haven't been able to set those up yet."
Parker intends to visit Ole Miss as well but is also yet to set a date for that trip. For now, it's a waiting game. The fact that he has been unable to plan visits has pushed back his entire timetable. Uncertainty is the norm here. And Parker is fine with that.
"I keep saying I want to trim my list before the season, but that doesn't look like that's going to happen because I won't have time to visit all the colleges I want to visit or go to all the games I want to go to," he said. "I'm probably just going to wait until during the season or after the season and make sure I use all my time."
The only things parker speaks about with any sort of certainty are his relationships. He doesn't mind pointing out that he's grown close to and fond of certain college coaches. So while he names no favorite schools, he doesn't mind discussing his favorite staffs.
"I would probably say I'm closest with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State," Parker said. "I have the best relationship going with them. The Ole Miss coach, too. Coach Dave Wommack. He's done a really good job of contacting me and talking to me."
Oklahoma has been seen as one of Parker's most likely landing spots for some time. He has 27 offers from schools in states spanning the country, but staying home has its perks. As is the theme with his recruitment, Parker remains coy when discussing the possibility of remaining in the Sooner State next season, but it's a topic that has received some prior thought.
"It's a possibility," he said. "It just kind of depends. If OU or OSU is the school I like, I'll go there. But if I like something different, - say if it's Ole Miss or Texas or another out-of-state school - that's where I'll be. It just really depends on where I'm most comfortable."
As a junior at Oklahoma's Jenks high school, Parker recorded 52 total tackles, one sack and three interceptions.
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