Four-star quarterback Chris Parson commits to Mississippi State football
BRENTWOOD – Chris Parson found himself a new home in the SEC where he will be surrounded by family.
The four-star Ravenwood quarterback, who decommitted from Florida State a month ago, committed to Mississippi State football on Friday — one week before the start of the Tennessee high school season.
"I kind of already knew where I wanted to be at," said Parson, who will sign during the December signing period and enroll in January. "It was kind of just me crossing my T's and dotting my I's.
"It just felt like home," Parson said. "When you know, you know. Whenever I visited the first time in June, I felt super comfortable there. That was my first time visiting a campus outside of Florida State for almost a year."
Parson has close ties to Starkville and Mississippi State. His mom grew up in Starkville and his grandparents live about three miles from the football program's indoor facility. Parson's dad graduated from Mississippi State.
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"(My grandparents) literally live less than three miles from there," Parson said. "They leave their house and make a right, they make a left and go down a little road and they are right there on campus.
"It's been times I went down there to see family for Thanksgiving and you could hear the cowbells from the Egg Bowl game. They are literally right there. It's a big honor to be able to play in front of my family."
Parson, a 6-foot-½, 200-pound four-star quarterback, is the No. 10 college football prospect in Tennessee for 2023 and he's the No. 19 QB in the country according to 247Sports Composite. He competed earlier this summer in the Elite 11 Finals in California and was named one of the top-11 quarterbacks by the camp at the conclusion of it.
Parson is entering his second season as the starter at Ravenwood, but spent his first two years playing high school ball in Texas. In 2021, Parson threw for 2,309 yards with 25 touchdowns to lead the Raptors to the TSSAA Class 6A quarterfinals. Parson, who has a strong arm, also ran for 1,007 yards and adding 17 rushing TDs.
Parson decommitted to Florida State on July 12, nearly a year after he originally committed. He said at the time he was open to all schools. He visited both Mississippi State and SMU prior to decommitting. He visited Vanderbilt for its first practice of the season.
In the end, he chose a second home and the SEC.
"Also, you get a chance to sling the ball around in a great offense in the best conference," Parson said. "SEC is looked at as the best conference and best competition. I'm looking forward to it."
Parson is the third Nashville area football player to commit to the Bulldogs, joining Blackman wide receiver Justin Brown and FRA offensive tackle Joe Crocker.
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Mississippi State football lands Chris Parson, previous FSU commit
