EXCLUSIVE: Top Jonathan Smith, MSU Football Brings Loads of Potential, Has Great News
Andre Parker Jr. is a 2026 linebacker for Cincinnati's Princeton High School. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Parker has 13 offers, and one of them is from Michigan State. I reported on Parker's offer from the Spartans back in May, and I was able to speak with him Thursday afternoon.
Parker had 68 tackles, five sacks, nine tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. His tape exhibits excellent speed and sideline-to-sideline range. He has good instincts and seems to always fly around the ball. He is a good open-field tackler, too.
Parker told me what the key elements of playing linebacker were.
"Talking, leading. Using your hands to get off blocks and stand square. Eyes [on] the triangle, with the guards and the back," Parker told me.
Parker told me he likes defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Joe Rossi, who he said he has the best relationship with. Rossi has been recruiting linebackers heavily since his arrival to East Lansing, both on the recruiting trail (Di'Mari Malone and DJ White) and in the transfer portal (Wayne Matthews III and Jordan Turner).
"He just seems really interested in me and building our relationship," Parker said. "I could play like a hybrid linebacker, I could cover, I could rush. They don't know what I'm gonna be right now."
Parker told me that he visited several camps this summer, and his recruitment has blown up since the June 15th period opened up communications with coaches. He said he's been talking to a lot of schools. He's been working out, trying to get bigger, fast, and stronger, "gain some weight."
Parker attended a camp at UCF, along with Miami and Michigan State.
"We traveled to Florida, and the UCF and Miami camps went really good. I had built relationships with them, started talking to those schools," Parker said. "And Michigan State, I had talk to them a lot already, and they had offered me. They just wanted me to come up so they could see me move and stuff, so I came up and it was good."
Parker told me that the Spartans are among his Top 3 teams as of now.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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MICHAEL FRANCE