Nebraska scored a major recruiting win when St. Louis Cardinal Ritter running back Jamarion Parker announced his commitment to the Huskers on Wednesday.
Here’s the key information to know about the Huskers’ latest commitment.
Height and weight: 6-0, 185 pounds.
Other key offers: Alabama, Arizona State, Missouri, TCU.
Two conclusions
* EJ Barthel gets an important recruit: Every member of Nebraska’s coaching staff has to pull out all the stops in recruiting, and EJ Barthel just made his biggest splash yet.
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With NU’s veteran running backs coach inherited in 2023, finding an immediate difference-maker wasn’t a top priority as the Huskers rushed to finish their first class. Instead, Barthel landed a player with long-term upside that he had previously offered at UConn, Kwinten Ives.
But with an entire year to prepare for the 2024 cycle, Nebraska fell short of its running back goals. Kewan Lacy was set to be Barthel’s first four-star commitment, but the Texas prospect moved to Missouri after spending four months as a Husker commit.
Barthel didn’t let Parker escape. Nebraska offered Parker in April 2023 and quickly made him one of its top targets, plans that were disrupted with Parker’s commitment to Arkansas in September.
When Coach Parker had committed to play under Jimmy Smith, left Arkansas for TCU, the door opened to Nebraska again. TCU was in the picture, but Barthel forged a relationship that was strong enough to surpass Parker’s previous ties.
* Nebraska returns to St. Louis: Just as Barthel deserves credit, so does linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek. That’s not just for helping with Parker’s recruiting, but for his efforts throughout Missouri. Dvoracek, Nebraska’s top recruiter in the state, has helped the Huskers forge ties in a talent hotbed that hasn’t produced an NU commitment since 2016.
Nebraska’s recruiting from the St. Louis area allowed the Huskers to make a run for five-star wide receiver Ryan Wingo and three-star running back Caleb Redd in the previous cycle, although both signed elsewhere. With Parker’s commitment, NU’s presence in St. Louis continues to grow.
meaning
Nebraska now has two running backs committed in its 2025 class: Parker and Wahoo Neumann’s Conor Booth. Considering NU missed out on a high school a year ago and added Dante Dowdell out of the transfer portal, a two-student class makes sense.
Both players are electric runners and it is Parker’s breakaway speed that stands out in his youth film. Averaging 11.2 yards per carry during a season in which he ran for 22 touchdowns, Parker’s vision in the backfield often helps him get to the edge and speed past defenders.
To be effective in college, he will likely need to add weight and show his physicality between the tackles. Nebraska will want to keep Parker’s athleticism in play because of his breakaway ability that few can match.
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