Parsons Surprised to Be a Wanted Man

There’s a sense of wonder when Alex Parsons thinks about it. And then he laughs.

Imagine, an under-the-radar linebacker from an unheralded high school team who has been offered a scholarship to play on the defensive line for the No. 1 college football program in the country.

Blessed with the things that can’t be coached -- size, speed, strength -- Parsons was selected most valuable player at the USC lineman camp.

Parsons was told by Coach Pete Carroll that he could play defensive end, tackle or nose guard for the Trojans. Just come play.

“I was shocked that the No. 1 school in the nation would offer me a scholarship,” said Parsons, a senior at Irvine Woodbridge. “I definitely didn’t think I was a USC-caliber recruit. It’s just crazy that they would offer me. It’s funny.”

But Parsons is 6 feet 4 inches, and doctors expect him to grow another two or three inches. He weighs 260 pounds, and his coach thinks he can add 30 or 40 pounds without losing a step. He power cleans 330 pounds. Who knows how much stronger he will get?

Parsons outgrew his weight class for Pop Warner football when he was 11 and didn’t play again until high school. He was on the varsity as a sophomore, but he “was a big kid who was catching up to his body athletically,” Woodbridge Coach Rick Gibson said.

With his body and athleticism in sync last season, Parsons was moved from defensive end to linebacker. He delivered 99 tackles, six sacks and had two interceptions for the 4-5-1 Warriors. “Sideline to sideline,” Gibson said, “he’s as good as we’ve had.”

There are more changes afoot. Parsons, who also played offensive tackle as a sophomore, will line up this season at tight end and -- gulp! -- running back.

“Someone asked Bill Walsh, or one of the pro coaches, about when he coached high school and what one bit of advice he could give,” Gibson recalled. “He said, ‘If your best athlete is standing on the sideline for 50% of the game, you’re not a very good coach.’ Handing it off seems to be fairly simple.”

Although he could become an impact player on offense, Parsons’ future is on defense. There are times he will be a down lineman, but he will be at inside linebacker for much of the season.

Parsons admits to being “scared that I won’t be prepared for college football.... You go against some big guys [in college], and it worries me that I won’t have as much practice as those other guys.”

But he got assurances from college coaches, including Carroll, that playing linebacker will be OK. “I was questioning it, that I would be able to play defensive line in college without all the practice in high school,” he said.

His college choice won’t be just about football.

“UCLA has a great medical school, and USC has a great law school,” Parsons said. Both professions interest him, which means other schools that have already made offers -- both Arizona schools, Utah and Kentucky -- need more leverage than simply playing time.

Kentucky is where Parsons’ brother, B.J., who is 6-6 and 260 pounds, started last season as a junior defensive end. By comparison in the weight room, B.J.’s personal best in high school in the power clean was 265 pounds; Alex lifted 285 as a sophomore and his 335 is 20 pounds better than anyone in Woodbridge history.

“This is not just by accident and by birth. He worked very hard,” Gibson said of Alex. “He has untapped sources. I don’t think he even knows how good he can be.”

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How they rate

A look at the top defensive linemen in the Southland:

*--* City Section Rk Player, School Ht. Wt. Yr. Comment 1. Keith Browner, 6-6 220 Sr. Quarterbacks, Dorsey beware 2. Martell Moore, 6-2 270 Sr. Will be dominant Venice player 3. Tim High, Narbonne 6-3 295 Sr. Tough to move out of middle 4. Cleveland Jones, 6-5 310 Sr. Has size to be Dorsey effective 5. James Bernard, 6-4 215 Sr. End with terrific Sylmar speed 6. Greg Guerrero, 6-2 220 Jr. Had 18 sacks last Kennedy season 7. Craig Noble, Taft 6-3 265 So. Athletic, agile and top prospect 8. Mackey Mailo, Carson 6-1 265 Jr. Has strength, talent 9. Michael Lewis, Poly 6-3 225 Jr. End with speed Southern Section Rk Player, School Ht. Wt. Yr. Comment 1. Alex Parsons, 6-4 260 Sr. UCLA, USC want him Woodbridge 2. Tobi Umodu, South 6-0 230 Sr. Had 17 sacks Hills 3. Andy Keane, Palm 6-3 270 Sr. A two-way bulldog Springs 4. Jeff Miller, 6-5 245 Sr. Had 14 sacks Westlake 5. Sione Fua, Crespi 6-2 290 Sr. A relentless, physical player 6. Toby Turpin, Los 6-5 250 Sr. Should be Pac-10 Alamitos player 7. Duke Lemmens, Oaks 6-5 225 Jr. Terrific two-way Christian player 8. Steve Anderson, 6-3 230 Sr. Had 17 sacks Capistrano Valley 9. Conan Amituanai, LB 6-3 280 Sr. Has size, strength Poly 10. Rick Elmore, Grace 6-6 230 Sr. Tough, aggressive Brethren athlete 11. D.J. Holt, Crespi 6-3 235 Jr. End with big-time future 12. Justin Andrews, Los 6-2 230 Sr. Three-year starter Osos 13. Devin Johnson, 6-3 210 Sr. Has good quickness Rancho Cucamonga 14. D’Aundre Reed, 6-3 215 Sr. Defensive end with Rancho Verde strong rush 15. Zack Niusulu, 6-3 285 Sr. Returning Barstow all-leaguer 16. Kyle Maddux, St. 6-0 225 Sr. Tough to block Bonaventure 17. Randy Burton, 6-5 225 Sr. All-Golden League Antelope Valley returnee Compiled by Eric Sondheimer

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