Linebacker Parker Moore, entering his senior season, has gained the interest of college football coaches around the country and has narrowed his options down, landing on a verbal commitment to the University of Wyoming.
Moore, standing six-foot-three and 220 lbs, held a handful of FCS offers including schools such as South Dakota State University, the University of Northern Iowa, and the University of Pennsylvania. His first few experiences as a recruit began during his sophomore season.
“I got some invites to go to some games— I went to The University of Nebraska, The University of Kansas and Iowa State University for a game day visit… I missed my sophomore summer going into junior year with an ankle injury so I didn’t get to go to any camps, but camps are probably the best way to get exposure because film can only do so much,” Moore said.
With Moore taking the reins at linebacker his junior year, his recruitment heated up at the conclusion of the season when his film was released. Flashforward to this summer, and he wanted to handle the bulk of his recruiting process to make way for his senior season.
“I picked up some more offers from camps and such which is huge,” Moore said. “I wanted to make a decision soon with everything coming up — it’s good to have a commitment, and because the way it goes right now is that kids are committing and spots are going away.”
During his junior season, Moore had to adjust to recruiting efforts thrown at him amidst the full swing of his season.
“It was definitely something to get used to, and it’s a lot, especially worrying about where you go to college. Up to this point in our lives as high schoolers, it’s probably the biggest decision we’ll make for a while,” Moore said.
To counteract his stress, Moore said that having a good support system in place allows him to be more at ease with his recruiting process.
“Coach Stewart does a great job during the offseason,” Moore said. “Near the end of the school year, we have hundreds of coaches coming in, talking to us and getting us on the radar. Bralin Preston’s dad, Asheiki Preston, I’ve played football for since about first grade. He played at KU and knows how the whole process goes. Having him in my corner telling me to trust the process and that God will lead me in the right direction is a very helpful and insightful thing to me.”
While considering his decision, Moore falled back on a handful of important decision-making factors.
“The coaching staff, especially my positional coach, is important,” Moore said. Having a linebackers coach who knows what he is talking about and is a good human [is important]. “The feel of the town of the city [the school is] in is super important. You don’t want to be somewhere for four years where you just hate where you’re at.”
