NFL players, journalists, college recruiters and fans are going nuts for 14-year-old defensive tackle Tyler Parker, who is already 134kg and receiving multiple offers from colleges despite having four years left of high school.
Parker, 14, goes to Santa Margarita Catholic High School, just south of Los Angeles, and also works out with NFL placement program PPI – and coach Brandon Collier said ‘he can be the number one DT (defensive tackle) in the class of 2025’.
The powerful teen can already bench press 136kg and deadlift a remarkable 181kg, according to his Hudl recruiting profile, while his 4.9-second 40-yard dash is also in the upper echelon of high school times, and incredible for his size.
His 3.36 grade point average is nothing to sneeze about either – this is one smart, athletic man mountain.
14-year-old NFL hopeful Tyler Parker has gone viral after this photo of him during a workout
The 185cm, 136kg youngster is killing it in the gym and the classroom, but can he back it up on the gridiron?
Boy, can he.
Highlights packages of the defender in action show him completely monstering opposing linemen, and he will be a nightmare for offensive lines and quarterbacks to deal with.
One of his highlights packages was even impressive enough to catch the attention of one of the best defensive tackles of the last decade: six-time Pro Bowler Calais Campbell.
‘In shorts and t shirts he looks like a beast. Need to see him in pads tho. Could be special,’ wrote Campbell on Twitter.
Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Calais Campbell is already a big fan of Tyler Parker
It was a show of support Parker thanked the star Ravens defender for, calling it ‘legendary’.
Campbell wasn’t the only person to show the now-viral teenage sensation some love.
Football fans were clambering over themselves to show their incredulity at Parker’s physique, workouts and football highlights.
Tyler Parker (right) with coach Brandon Collier (left). Collier believes his star will be the top defensive end college recruit in the country
One Reddit user asked ‘what they putting in lunch food nowadays?’ while another wrote: ‘dude’s neck is bigger than my thigh’.
Perhaps the best comment on Reddit goes to a commenter who wrote: ‘He’s fourteen? This man looks like HE cards the bouncer before entering the club.’
Prominent college football journalists were enamoured with his viral photo, with Matt DeBary writing Parker was ’14 years old looking like Rambo’, while Marshall Levenson simply left a ‘wow’ emoji.
Tyler Parker poses in a Louisiana State University Tigers uniform during an unofficial visit
Jeff Sentell wrote Parker ‘looks like a walking muscle’; and it’s hard to argue given most of his 136kg frame appears to be solid muscle, while Fox College Football said ’14 year olds are built different this days.’
Hilariously, one Twitter user suggested Parker got ‘protein powder instead of baby formula’.
Parker is still just a sophomore, which means, remarkably, he has four more years of high school ahead of him.
He has already received offers from Division 1 colleges Arizona Wildcats, Portland State, Incarnate Word and Virginia University of Lynchberg.
Tyler Parker, pictured in a Mississippi State jersey, has become famous for his flex – and smashing through offensive linemen like they’re made of tissue paper
The 14-year-old has also made unofficial visits to some of the biggest college programs like LSU, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas Longhorns and Jacksonville State.
Given he won’t be playing college football until 2025, it’s safe to say he’ll have his pick of the best teams in the US if he keeps excelling.
Tyler Parker holds the Texas A&M flaf aloft during an unofficial visit to the college
Ryan Vidales, who was a recruiter for the University of Oregon Ducks, said, ‘Tyler Parker is a name that we’ll be talking about for years to come.’
‘I can’t remember a kid coming out of Orange County with his combination of size, speed, and athleticism at 14 YEARS OLD. Can’t wait to catch a game at Santa Margarita this upcoming season!’ he wrote on Twitter.
He’s been compared to the NFL’s unquestionable top defensive player, Super Bowl champ Aaron Donald – but remarkably, despite Parker being half Donald’s age, he is already heavier than him.
Aaron Donald (holding trophy) celebrates winning the Super Bowl earlier this year. Parker is already drawing comparisons to the three-time Defensive Player of the Year
Donald will go down as one of the greatest defenders of all time and Parker would love to follow in his footsteps
Rams star Donald, an eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is 185cm and 127kg, eight kilograms lighter than Parker.
If he has an NFL career just a quarter as good as Donald, the youngster will be very happy.
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