Tide leads for 2012 tight end

Ricky Parks, a 2012 tight end from Hogansville (Ga.) Callaway, currently has five offers, but the one that came Saturday has him the most excited.

"I got an offer from [Alabama coach Nick Saban]," Parks said. "It felt pretty good, especially coming from him in person."

Parks, who is 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, landed the Alabama offer during his unofficial visit to Tuscaloosa on Saturday for the program's junior day.

"It went very well," Parks said.

Parks also claims offers from Clemson, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina (the first to do so), but has the Tide out in front.

"Alabama is standing out the most," Parks said. "They're probably in first place so far right now. Their coaching staff is probably one of the best coaching staffs I've been around. I like how they get players to the NFL, and they make sure you're where you need to be academically. They stay on top of that."

Saturday's over-and-back day trip was his seventh to Tuscaloosa, according to Parks.

"It really wasn't anything I hadn't seen before," he said. "We talked a lot about the program, and what you needed to know about college and recruiting."

Other than the offer from Saban, the highlight of Saturday's visit was spending time with current Tide players, Parks said.

"I met Dont'a Hightower, Marquis Maze, Josh Chapman and big [D.J. Fluker]," Parks said. "He's huge in person. Probably the most fun part was that I got to hang out with Dont'a Hightower. We just talked. The coaches left the room, and let us talk guy talk. They said ask any questions you want. So I just asked stuff about practice and how their camps are."

Next up for Parks is junior day in late February at Tennessee, then junior day the following weekend at Clemson. He also hopes to attend a few college spring practices in March and April.