Parkinson stands tall but will get down and dirty
The tight end is as comfortable taking down defensive backs as making catches.
At 6 feet 7, 230 pounds, with the kind of athleticism that enabled him to play football, basketball and baseball during his first two years of high school, Colby Parkinson is one of those rare physical specimens who inspires a person watching him for the first time to blurt, “Wow!”
The first impression the Westlake Village Oaks Christian senior leaves is that of a giant teenager who is equally comfortable making a catch over the middle or sending a defensive back crashing to the turf with a block. That’s because he plays tight end, a football position for which he seems ideally suited.
“I love playing tight end,” he said. “It’s the perfect fit for me. I love standing up and running some routes, and I love getting down and dirty with my offensive linemen.”
A Stanford commit who is an A student, Parkinson is gearing up to make a huge impact in his final high school season. He caught 24 passes for 489 yards and four touchdowns as a junior.
Last spring, he decided to give up baseball to spend more time preparing for football. Over three months in the weight room, he put on 15 pounds of muscle and added flexibility.
“It’s going to be huge,” he said. “I’m going to be stronger than I’ve ever been in my life.”
His performance during seven-on-seven passing competitions over the summer created some laughable moments, when he made defensive backs look tiny and overwhelmed trying to cover him. This fall, he intends to show no sympathy, even though he’ll be the tallest person on the field.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “After the play, I’ll give them a handshake and help them off the ground after I push them down.”
Oaks Christian Coach Jim Benkert has big plans on how to use Parkinson and quarterback Matt Corral, a junior who has committed to USC. Last season, it was Michael Pittman, now at USC, who was Oaks Christian’s go-to receiver. Parkinson is ready to inherit that role.
“I was telling our coaches the one player who’s improved the most was Colby Parkinson,” Benkert said. “When we first came here a year ago, he was a little shaky doing some things and not dominating like I thought he could. Then he had a great season. Now, looking at him in passing league, he’s just a year better and taken his game to a new level.”
Parkinson’s combination of maturity, intelligence, athleticism and strong upbringing has created a 17year-old whose future seems limitless. He remembers when his father asked him years ago, “What college do you want to attend?”
“Stanford,” Parkinson answered.
“Well, you have to do well in the classroom,” his father replied.
“Ever since, I’ve been hitting the books as hard as I can,” Parkinson said. “The mentality for Stanford is you have to be the best. You can’t just be the best on the football field or in the classroom. You have to be the best in both. If I have that mentality, I think I’ll be successful.”
As good as Parkinson looks as an athlete, the way he handles himself might be his greatest gift.
“Remain humble,” he said of his philosophy. “It’s all your family raising you up. Without the people around me, I wouldn’t be anything. Without the line blocking, Matt throwing and the other receivers running their routes, I’m just the guy getting the glory sometimes.”