Eddie Jordan and his Rutgers staff zeroed in on Kwe Parker early on in the recruiting process and on Sunday afternoon, it all paid off as the Carolina native popped off the board for the Big Ten program. Corey Sanders was thought to be a quality haul within the 2015 class due to his explosiveness and playmaking in the open floor, yet Parker might have him beat due to his elite athleticism and contributions off the bounce.

Although thought of as an undersized two-guard, Parker stands at 6-foot and is more of a scorer at heart. His jumper has yet to be made consistent, but one thing that you should never doubt out of the Wesleyan Christian standout is in his competitive nature and willingness to get better. His athleticism at the basket is second to none and whenever you throw in his 6-foot-6 wingspan and gritty nature, Parker can be a nuisance whenever the game speeds up.

Kevin Graves, Parker’s travel season coach for the past few years, spoke on some of the strengths of the Carolina guard. “Rutgers is getting a combo guard that can use his speed and explosion to control the tempo and stir things up on defense. He is a player that plays with passion and goes hard all the time.”

Asked on how quickly he feels like the future Big 10 ballplayer can leave an impact on the program, Graves seemed pretty steadfast with some of the further dimensions that Parker brings to the table. “Kwe can make an immediate impact because of his underrated passing and shooting ability and his desire to improve daily. I think he does really well at Rutgers.”

While Parker was sidelined for over three months with a broken foot, many programs fell off of him. However, Rutgers remained unwavering of their desire for him and because of it, picked up a four year competitor in the backcourt. “The coaching staff was the sell. He really likes Coach Jordan, Van Macon, and the other coaches on staff. He could be a great combo guard in the Big 10, they kept telling him.”

Parker will be able to be used on and off the basketball and should become a lockdown defender at the next level. With recent talk on the need to win and put some fannies in the seats at the RAC, Kwe Parker should help out on both fronts and immediately, at that.