MACK CONTINUES PULASKI PROMINENCE

by Flynn Hill, Head Scout with New Era Scouting

Over the past few years, Pulaski Academy has produced numerous D1 football recruits.  Class of 2007 Southern California signee Broderick Green, class of 2008 Arkansas signee Cruz Williams, and undecided class of 2009 wide receiver recruit Neal Barlow have all suited up for head coach Kevin Kelley and the Little Rock, Arkansas, school.  While that is quite a list of talent to have played for the Arkansas Class 5A juggernaut, it’s not out of the question that the order of great players may be rearranged after 2010 offensive lineman Parker Mack has graduated. 

Mack will be just a junior this coming season, but you wouldn’t know it if you saw the 6’5”, 305 pound offensive lineman on the field.  While he played offensive guard last year, he will transition to right tackle for the upcoming season.  

“I’ll play wherever the coach needs me,” said the unselfish Mack.  

Regardless of position, Mack, who was recently named to the “Top Ten Junior Prospects to Watch List” according to ArkansasSports360.com, will make one college extremely pleased.  Mack will bring quite a unique skill set to the college game. 

“We run mainly a spread offense.  We have a few formations where the quarterback takes direct snaps, but for the most part, we run mainly out of the shotgun.” 

With his experience in the spread offense, Mack is ready to play in an evolving college game that puts an emphasis on the pass. 

“I’d definitely say that my pass blocking is a strength of mine.” 

His great feet allow him to bounce effortlessly from pass rusher to pass rusher.  However, that’s certainly not to say that he’s a poor run blocker.  Mack has shown on film that he has the mobility to get to the second level and pick off linebackers with relative ease, driving them back several yards at a time.  He has excellent explosiveness off the ball and the ability to develop into a terrific drive blocker against two technique tackles. 

Despite the recognition he’s received so far for his play on the field, it certainly has not gotten to his head.  Parker puts in time both with his team and at a personal trainer during the off-season.  

“With my team, we have lifting sessions where we work on upper and lower body strength.  We work in groups two days a week.  The other days we usually have a walk through where we’ll run plays.  At my personal trainer we usually do a lot of plyometric exercises.  It’s been my goal this off-season to improve my speed and lateral quickness.” 

Mack’s hard work off the gridiron has certainly paid off.  His physical maturation has led to a twenty pound weight game.  In his impressive film, Mack was playing at 6’4”, 285 pounds.  Mack has been able to gain weight, while not sacrificing anything in the speed and agility department.  Despite his weight gains, Mack’s frame, one of his best assets, is far from being filled out.  He certainly has the ability to be 325 or 330 pounds without much difficulty. 

He has had plenty of influence from some of the previously mentioned names who starred at Pulaski. “I try not to think about them, but I have a legacy to live up to.” 

Besides excelling on the gridiron, Mack is a standout in the classroom.  He recently scored a 28 on the ACT, a test scored out of 36.   

“I want to go pre-med in college.  I hope to be a private physician some day.  Academics are going to be a big part of this decision.  I realize that it’s a forty-plus year decision, not four.” 

It’s no wonder why Mack lists prestigious academic institutions such as Notre Dame, North Carolina, Stanford, Vanderbilt and Boston College, which verbally offered Mack a full scholarship on May 28, 2008, among his favorites. 

“I was really surprised about the Boston College offer.  I hadn’t talked to any of their coaches before I received the offer.  My coaches got the offer in an email after we sent film out.   

Based on such a national list of potential suitors, Mack holds no allegiance to any one school in particular. 

“We moved around a little when I was younger because of my dad’s job.  I grew up in Houston, Texas, until I was ten and we moved to Lexington, Kentucky. In the seventh grade we settled in Little Rock where we are today.  I enjoy not being a fan of one school because it leaves me more open to a decision.” 

While he still has a ton of time and is unsure when he will decide, it is certain that Mack will be one of the most highly recruited linemen, not just in Arkansas, but in the entire nation.

Link to article at New Era Scouting:

http://www.newerascouting.com/new_era_scouts/flynn_hill/881-mack-continues-pulaski-prominence/