Dinner at the Stoops House Sparked Rivals250 Commit

When Bob Stoops built his impressive house in Norman, Okla. there is no doubt he saw it as able to host future team functions, many of which players have videoed and referenced recently. That being said it's unclear if he ever saw it as the place where official visitors might become 'Future Sooners'.

But that's exactly the situation he found himself in when Jordan Parker, the 5-foot-11, 184-pound cornerback from Pittsburg, Calif., decided to pull the trigger on Saturday night.

"We were eating dinner at coach Stoops' house and I was talking to coach (Chip) Viney and I told him. So then I just told coach Stoops," Parker explained. "Everybody loved it."

Coming into the weekend, and for some time, Parker had stated his intention to announce his commitment on Nov. 1 and admits that coming into the weekend he did not have any plans to make his decision.

"It surprised me, I didn't really think I was going to do it. I knew I liked Oklahoma but I didn't know if I was going to commit," he admitted. "But just getting there and seeing how the school was and seeing everything, it came quick to me that I was going to commit.

"I'm still not used to (being committed). I'm still excited, I'm still happy - I'm not really used to it yet."

For the third straight year Oklahoma has landed a player from the San Francisco Bay area and Parker had a chance to watch one of them, Joe Mixon, score his first rushing touchdown on Saturday. Not surprisingly Mixon was also his host during his visit.

"Joe Mixon was my host, we knew each other from camps," he said. "He just said get ready to put your work in and it's not a soft school. He was saying it's where the best of the best play and I better be ready to work," the state of California's No. 19 prospect said.

His time spent with not only Viney but defensive backs coach Kerry Cooks resulted in hearing much of the same message, as well as where he might fit into Oklahoma's plans in the future - even as early as next year.

"They were very excited when I decided. They told me just what Joe told me that it's the best of the best, and there is loyalty there and I've got to be in it four to five years. I am," he said. "I'm going to come in and work and probably fit in at nickel and then get in at cornerback more as time goes on.

"I think that would fit me."

So was there one thing that truly sold Parker on being a Sooner?

"Just the tradition and hearing that coach Stoops and the coaches have been offered multiple jobs and talking with the players and being with the best of the best, I just loved it," Parker beamed.

For now the nation's No. 108 overall player and No. 10 cornerback is focused on a strong finish to his team's season, that has started off 4-1.

"Now I'm just focusing on the rest of my senior year. We're 4-1 and just started district play. It was a good week to commit," he said.

And as for handling his recruiting, could any visits be happening?

"I'm done."