For all his football talents, Michael Parker's recruitment ultimately came down to a vital off-the-field trait: Patience.
The 6-foot-6 Westminster Christian tight end ended his junior season with multiple offers in hand, including Auburn. But the offer he longed for - Alabama - had not yet come to fruition. Parker felt that he'd eventually hear from the Tide and he held off on committing, a move that paid off as Alabama finally offered Nov. 18.
"I was willing to wait as long as I needed to," said Parker, who was rated four stars by Rivals and three stars by 247Sports.