Iowa hoping transfer Daijon Parker is the answer at right tackle
Right tackle has been a position of concern over the past two years for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Since the departure of Tristan Wirfs in 2019 and the subsequent departures of Mark Kallenberger and Coy Cronk the following year, Iowa has not found their guy on the right end of the line. There has been a revolving door of players at the position, unfortunately making it a turnstile for opposing pass rushers.
Iowa’s rushing attack has regressed, and they struggled to keep Spencer Petras upright last year. Per last season’s stats, they averaged nearly three sacks allowed per game. A lot of these struggles were coming from that right side, too.
Unfortunately, many were under the assumption that help was indeed on the way. Iowa may struggle at the right tackle position, but that was okay because they were gaining Kadyn Proctor. We all know how the tide turned on that one.
Not content to sit around and do nothing, Iowa hit the transfer portal and found who they hope can be a diamond in the rough for them. Transferring to Iowa City for his final year of eligibility from Saginaw Valley State, Daijon Parker hopes to become the answer at right tackle for the Hawkeyes.
“I feel like I can help this (offensive line) room a lot,” Parker said in a recent media availability. “I’ve played a lot of games so far in my college career. I have a lot of maturity.”
Parker certainly does come to Iowa with a good amount of experience, appearing in 19 games for the Cardinals.
While a veteran in a fairly young offensive line room, the 6-foot-5, 315 pound transfer insists there is a lot he can learn from his teammates who took him under their wing. A great example of this came when Parker missed most of the spring with an injury.
“I was with Mason Richman a lot, he was out as well… most of practice we’re next to each other, he’s just telling me the things I need to do, like what we’re doing on this play,” Parker said.
Feeling ready to go again, Daijon Parker will look to win the starting spot at right tackle ahead of the season.
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