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Name: Josh Parris
Position: Tight End
Year: Redshirt Sophomore
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 252
Hometown: Stone Mountain, Ga.
High School: Stephenson
2013 Stats: Parris caught 13 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He caught both touchdowns against Boston College, including the screen pass score that sealed bowl eligibility for Syracuse. After Beckett Wales' season-ending injury in November, Parris took over full-time duties.
2014 Projections: Parris is the starting tight end now that Wales has graduated. But don't expect him to become a top target in 2014. He earned his playing time by becoming an upgrade over Wales at blocking. And Ashton Broyld, Brisly Estime and Jarrod West should receive the majority of passes.
How'd He Get Here: Originally a USF commit, Parris de-committed when the Bulls expected him to convert to fullback. He chose Syracuse over Boston College, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. Parris made his choice because he likes the way Syracuse uses the tight end in its passing game, he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Greg Adkins did the recruiting, but it sounds like you have Nick Provo to thank.
What'd Recruiting Sites Say: Three stars from Rivals, Scout and ESPN. The Worldwide Leader was nice enough to give him a puzzle sticker for versatility.
Money Quote: (From the BC game) "It was unbelievable, everything was unbelievable," Parris said. "The throw, play call was perfect. I didn't think he was going to call the play. It was a great play call."
Honorable Mention: "Did (Josh Parris) score twice today?" Shafer said. "Was the throwback to him? I couldn't tell who caught it."
Links of Wonder: He graduated high school with more than a dozen Division-1 recruits, including two players who went to Florida and two to South Carolina. Just a little bit better than my high school team...
Twitterfeed: None for Josh. He's not a Twitterer. Or is it Tweeter?
Tweets of Wonder: How does one tweet without Twitter?
What Does Shafer Think of Him: "He gets better every day, has a great attitude. He has soft hands, too. He has soft hands for a big ol' dog."
Interesting Nugget O'Interest: Parris is one of five from Georgia currently on the roster. The only state outside the northeast with more Syracuse players is Florida (10). And all five from Georgia are from the Atlanta metropolitan region, as this map shows.
Let's Get a Look Atcha: