IC Catholic’s KJ Parker feels strong connection, commits to Iowa

KJ Parker didn’t feel a need to wait and announce his college decision even though the IC Catholic senior originally said he would let everyone know July 1.

Parker felt a strong connection with Iowa and didn’t want to drag the announcement or hold his excitement any longer. He committed to the Hawkeyes on June 29.

“I’m more than excited,” Parker said. “As soon as I made my commitment, I was smiling ear to ear because I knew I was in good hands. They showed me constant love since my freshman year. That matters to me the most.”

Parker started building a relationship with the Hawkeyes during his freshman year and Iowa made an offer to him when he was a sophomore in December 2021. The two built a stronger relationship as more schools became interested in the talented wide receiver.

Cincinnati, Toledo, Buffalo, Ohio, Miami and Illinois State were some of the schools to offer Parker, but he enjoyed his visits to Iowa and his recent official visit in Iowa City sealed his decision.

Not only did he enjoy the school, its facilities and how much the fans seem to care about the players, but the early connections he made with the Hawkeyes coaching staff continued to come back to Parker and his family when they talked about his decision. Parker built a strong relationship with wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland and liked how interested he was in Parker, not only as a football player.

“I feel like that connection really runs deep for me,” Parker said. “Building a connection with your coaches, I feel like that’s the No. 1 priority because I want my coach to know me as a person rather than just a football player.”

Parker was set to make an official visit to Cincinnati, but decided to cancel it once he realized how strong of a brotherhood Iowa had. During his official visit, he saw how much the players enjoyed hanging out with one another off the field and how close they were.

“I’m more than excited. As soon as I made my commitment, I was smiling ear-to-ear because I knew I was in good hands. They showed me constant love since my freshman year. That matters to me the most.”

—  KJ Parker, IC Catholic senior

Parker wanted to be part of that and knew if he chose Iowa he would have the same experience.

“I felt it when I went down there,” Parker said. “I really love this place and it was one more reason to go there.”

Both Rivals and 247Sports list Parker as a three-star athlete, with Rivals ranking him the 15th-best prospect in the state while 247Sports has him at No. 23. Parker earned attention after an impressive junior campaign in which he helped IC Catholic win the Class 3A state championship and was named the Metro Suburban Blue Player of the Year.

As a receiver, Parker caught 17 touchdowns and 37 passes for 1,082 yards. As a secondary player, he made 39 tackles, intercepted two passes and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Friday Night Drive named Parker to the First Team of its 2022 Team of the Year as a defensive player.

With the recruiting process behind him, Parker will look to improve his athleticism this summer as the Knights try to repeat as state champions. IC Catholic will face a tall task with its move to the CCL/ESCC this season, but Parker is excited for the challenge before he heads off to Iowa City.

“We’re definitely aiming for another goal to go back to back to win the state championship,” Parker said. “I feel like we’re going to do it again. That’s the goal. We’re all trying to take it game by game.”