Bombers rookie cornerback Parker using versatility to make his way in CFL
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Rookie cornerback Jamal Parker was asked if he knew which player played his position with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last year.
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After pondering for a few seconds, his eyes got bright.
“That’s the other 45 right?” the 24-year-old defensive back and kick returner said Wednesday after practice at the University of Manitoba.
The “other 45” is a reference to cornerback DeAundre (Dee) Alford, who was an all-star with the Bombers as a rookie in 2021 and recently made the 53-man roster of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
“I heard he was a true rookie here last year so it just shows you that anything’s possible. I’m my own No. 45 and I’m gonna make plays too.”
Signed straight out of Kent State University, Parker is a “true rookie” as well, having earned a job in his first pro training camp.
Initially added to the roster as a special teams cover man, Parker is expected to make his first career start on Sunday when the Bombers face the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the annual Labour Day Classic at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium.
Parker filled in at field-side corner for more than half of the Bombers’ 31-29 win over the Calgary Stampeders last week after starting cornerback Demerio Houston went down with an injury.
It looks like Houston will land on the six-game injured list, so Parker could be seeing action for a while. He was also the team’s primary kickoff returner last game, filling in for the dynamic Janarion Grant, who also remained sidelined on Wednesday.
“He’s been a quick learner and he’s obviously a great athlete and very talented,” Bombers middle linebacker and defensive captain Adam Bighill said.
“He’s been able to prove that he can learn, adapt and evolve. From the first rep at camp this year to where he is now, he’s a completely different player. He’s very coachable and has consistently gotten better every week.”
Born and raised in Pennsauken, N.J., just outside of Philadelphia, Parker was a little concerned about his football future after he finished college. He didn’t get to have a pro day because of COVID-19 restrictions and he wasn’t hearing a lot from pro scouts.
Until, one day, Blue Bombers director of player personnel Ted Goveia came to see him.
A few weeks later, Parker received the call he was waiting for.
“I thank Ted from the bottom of my heart,” Parker said.
Of course, he still had to battle against more than two dozen defensive backs in training camp and he wound up getting cut before being offered a practice roster spot.
From then on, he just tried to be ready, familiarizing himself with each of the defensive back positions.
“I always preach practice, repetition, game, reality,” Parker said. “In practice I’m always rotating with the No. 1s at each spot so I know their jobs and I’m always ready.
“Honestly I didn’t know it would be that quick, getting into a game, but it was just like second nature, just hop right in and be ready to ball. I was comfortable right away. I felt like it was plug and play.”
Though just 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, Parker plays a physical brand of football that makes an impression on the coaches.
“He’s very versatile for us and he’s a tough, hard-nosed little guy,” Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said.
“That’s why we keep guys like that on our roster. They step in and do a great job.”
Parker said it was relatively easy to step into the starting line-up, with veteran players like Nick Taylor, Deatrick Nichols and Winston Rose playing alongside him, and veteran safety Brandon Alexander, who is close to returning from a season-long injury, acting like a coach in the locker-room.
“It makes it easy because the football knowledge with those guys is so high,” Parker said. “I’m new, I’m the rookie, so I just listen. I listen to what Nick Taylor has to say, listen to Deatrick Nichols, listen to B.A. … B.A’s like a coach-player so I just listen to them and just attack it.”
In his debut on defence last week, Parker made three tackles and broke up a couple of passes. He also returned four kickoffs for 104 yards.
“The most important part is communication and being ready to listen and he just came in and did his job,” said Taylor, who is called “Unc” by his teammates.
“He made a couple big plays. He’s not big in stature but he’s big in heart and he’s gonna fight. He’s got some talent and he can really help us.”
Parker is looking forward to getting his first taste of the Winnipeg-Saskatchewan rivalry this weekend. When he was at Kent State, his team’s biggest foe was the University of Akron and he understands the dynamic between geographic rivals and their fans.
He had such disdain for the Akron Zips, he didn’t even want to think about them.
“I can’t even say it,” he said. “We just call them the school down the road.”
Sounds like he should fit right into another storied rivalry this weekend.
Twitter.com/Ted_Wyman
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