Clemson has been showing substantial interest in a standout defensive lineman from Alabama and had a chance to show him everything the Tigers have to offer when he visited campus earlier this month.

Central High School (Phenix City, Ala.) four-star defensive end Tomarrion Parker, a class of 2023 recruit, traveled to Clemson to check out the school and football program on June 4 and came away from the visit highly impressed.

“It was amazing,” Parker told The Clemson Insider. “I got to tour the entire school. The staff was amazing. It was nice. Whatever they told me over the phone these past few months, they told me again, and it was really about family. They showed me they can have a good time, but they can also work hard.”

Parker knows his football career won’t last forever, so his number-one priority as he goes through the recruiting process is finding a school that will give him a great education and set him up for success after his playing days end.

With that in mind, one of the things that stood out the most to Parker at Clemson is the football program’s personal growth, life skills and professional development program – P.A.W. Journey.

Phenix City (Ala.) Central 2023 4-star DL Tomarrion Parker works out during Dabo Swinney’s football camp. Bart Boatwright/The Clemson Insider

“When they showed me around campus, the first thing they showed us was P.A.W. Journey, and right after that they showed us education and how it’s super big to them,” Parker said. “And that’s the biggest thing for me, is my education, because nobody can take that from me. They showed everything. They showed the school, which buildings are which for your study majors and everything, and the last thing they showed me was football because education is always big, and I like that. So, I really enjoyed it.”

Parker (6-4, 235) also participated in the Dabo Swinney Football Camp while on campus and heard positive things from Clemson’s staff about himself, not only as a football player but as a person as well.

“They told me I’m a generational player and they love how I play, and they love my character,” he said. “They said I have great character, and every time they speak to my coaches or anybody about me, it’s always good. So, they like that about me, and they said they were excited to work with me during the camp.”

Parker, who was born in Knoxville and has family in North Carolina, has also visited Tennessee, UNC, Georgia and Florida since the dead period ended June 1.

All of those schools have offered Parker, who also owns offers from schools such as Auburn, Texas A&M, Florida State and Penn State.

While Clemson hasn’t yet pulled the trigger on offering Parker, the Tigers would be the team to beat if that changes – in fact, they already are.

“Even though I don’t have the offer just yet, they’re still my number-one school right now,” he said. “It’s going to be hard to beat.”

Parker is ranked as the No. 22 defensive lineman and No. 115 overall prospect in the 2023 class by both 247Sports and the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was named to the MaxPreps sophomore All-America team following the 2020 season after recording 20 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

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