Recruit's Diary: Justin Parker

Beaufort High School linebacker Justin Parker has emerged as one of the nation's top recruiting prospects, earning more than a dozen scholarship offers from Division I schools and cracking Sporting News Today's list of top 100 football recruits for the 2010 class. As Parker approaches his much-anticipated decision, the senior agreed to give readers a glimpse into the recruiting process with a diary every Wednesday, as told to Beaufort Gazette/Island Packet sports reporter Brandon Parker.

I really enjoyed myself at the Clemson game this past weekend, and to tell you the truth, I think that was the biggest football crowd I've ever been around. And that wasn't even a conference game, so I can only imagine how it is when the ACC games come around.

I've been to Division I football games before, but the Clemson crowd was just crazy. I was sitting in the recruiting section with about 30 other senior recruits. About six people from the crowd came up to me and said hi and that they had heard a lot about me. It was a real cool experience.

The visit reminded me of how much I want to go to a college with a big atmosphere and lots of people in the crowd. It's real intense and I like that, and with the schools I'm considering, I'm sure those things will be there.

It felt really good to beat Battery Creek last week, since that's our rival. I thought about it some afterward because that was the last time playing Battery Creek for me and the other seniors. The secondary really stepped up and helped us get the win. Other people were doubting our secondary because they are young, but they really showed what they were about Friday night.

I think we're ready for Fort Dorchester and to start region play this week. I heard that Fort Dorchester likes to run the ball a lot, and that's our type of game. Us linebackers have been waiting to play a running team so we can make some plays and do what we do. It should be a fun game.

I ended up messing with (Beaufort High linebackers coach Brook) Dixon at (Tuesday's) practice by wearing this orange cap under my helmet. He likes Florida State and they lost to Miami the other night, so I wore the orange with our green jerseys to rub it in some. I think he thought it was funny, but he's probably still mad that Florida State lost.

My top five schools (in order): Clemson, South Carolina, N.C. State, Virginia Tech, and Tennessee.