Florida State was already in really good shape at the defensive tackle position, returning its top four players from last year’s depth chart in Derrick Nnadi, Demarcus Christmas, Walvenski Aime, and Fred Jones. And the Seminoles got even deeper in the trenches today, including the addition of talented DT Ja’len Parks.
Parks (6’3, 288) is a product of Newberry (Fla.) High School and is a four-star commit considered the No. 9 defensive tackle in the country. He’s also the No. 25 player in the state of Florida and the nation’s No. 141 player, overall.
Committed to the ‘Noles since July 18 of 2014, Parks chose FSU over offers from Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Louisville, Ole Miss, Kentucky, South Florida, and South Alabama.
A high-school coach who contributes to TomahawkNation.com offered the following scouting report on Parks:
Ja’len Parks is a forgotten prospect in #Tribe17. Parks can play multiple positions along the defensive line. He uses his hands well to get into offensive linemen and gain leverage. Parks comes off of the ball low and is able to use his power to get offensive linemen off balance. Playing the 5-tech, his combination of quickness and power is a mismatch. He can also hold up against the run at 3-tech or 5-tech and will be a mismatch on third down for interior offensive linemen.
Parks has some Mario Edwards, Jr. in his game. Like Edwards, he pursues the ball through the echo of the whistle, which is a trait you look for in defenders. As a pass rusher, he looks to get his hands into throwing lanes when he’s not able to get to the quarterback. Parks has a solid stance and is able to come uncoiled from his hips and ankles to be explosive off of the ball. This young man is a ball of clay for Brad Lawing and Odell Haggins to mold into what they want.
Here’s some film of Parks: