#10 Jacob Parrish — Junior cornerback Jacob Parrish (10) added timely interceptions to his repertoire in 2023 along with starting every single game. I’m looking forward to his encore in 2024 now that he’s at 200 pounds. | Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In which BracketCat counts down the 10th day until the 2024 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State cornerback Jacob Parrish.

Goal No. 10: NEVER GIVE UP. Never, never, never.

#10 Jacob Parrish

True Junior | 5-10 | 198 lbs. | Olathe, Kansas

Position: Cornerback
Previous College: None
Projection: Starter
Status: On Scholarship

Jacob Parrish (b. Feb. 29, 2004) is an electric veteran defensive back from Olathe High School North who will lock down one of the starting cornerback positions entering 2024.

A true freshman who did not redshirt in 2022, playing all 14 games as a reserve cornerback and special teams contributor, Parrish played a majority of the Big 12 Championship game on defense against TCU, setting a career high with four tackles and a pass breakup.

He also broke up a pass in the regular-season match-ups at TCU and West Virginia, while he recovered a fumble against Texas, tallied three tackles at West Virginia and collected two more against Oklahoma State.

Parrish played in 12 games — all starts — in 2023 (he missed the Oklahoma State game due to injury, contributing to that loss) and earned All-Big 12 honorable mention accolades.

He totaled 44 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, four interceptions and a team-leading 13 passes defended on the year, tying for fourth in the Big 12 Conference and 19th nationally in interceptions, while he ranked sixth in the conference in passes defended.

Parrish recorded at least one pass defended in nine of his 12 games and he had two interceptions at Texas, one of a Big 12-leading 12 two-interception games during 2023.

He also picked off a pass against UCF and another in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against NC State.

Parrish recorded his first career tackle for loss against Baylor and had another against Iowa State, while he had his first career half-sack against NC State.

He collected a career-high six tackles against Texas Tech, TCU, Texas and NC State, while he had four tackles against Missouri and Baylor.

A February addition to the 2022 class, Parrish prepped under head coach Chris McCartney at Olathe North, where he earned all-state honors as a senior from Sports in Kansas.

A dynamic player who played defensive back, running back and wide receiver for the Eagles, Parrish totaled 137 career tackles — including 55 as a senior — to go along with six interceptions and 21 total passes defended.

He also rushed for 1,951 career yards and 22 touchdowns while hauling in 69 passes for 1,313 yards and another 15 scores, setting the school record for career receiving yards.

Parrish also competed in basketball and in track and field as a prep. He selected K-State over offers from Air Force, Army, Dartmouth, New Mexico State, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa and South Dakota State, as well as interest from Kent State.

Here’s what head coach Chris Klieman had to say about Parrish on National Signing Day:

Jacob’s a defensive back… He’s a phenomenal athlete, could be a receiver, great kick and punt returner. We’ve been contacting and communicating with him since he came here for camp in the summer, but kind of kept it under the radar a little bit because we thought we had a real gem there, a hidden gem with Jacob. He’s extremely fast, extremely physical, very athletic and excited to have another Olathe North product here.

Klieman explained the original plan to “blueshirt” Parrish eventually went by the wayside:

A little bit of both. The fact that I’ve been recruiting him a lot myself and saw him at camp, saw how competitive he was. Went and saw him in school. He’s gotten bigger, gained some weight, gotten stronger. Talked to his head coach, and we’re just not letting this kid go. We’re going to sign him today. He and his family visited last weekend. So, fortunate that we were able to sign him today.

I’d say that’s some pretty high praise by a guy who knows his defensive backs! And it was borne out when Parrish took a huge step forward in fall camp last year, Klieman said:

Jacob Parrish is a really, really good football player that we all know about, but he has really taken his game to the next level.

This sentiment was echoed last year by defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman:

I’m incredibly impressed with Jacob Parrish. He wasn’t a starter most of last year. He’s playing at an extremely high level.

A year ago, Jacob was just a really good athlete who didn’t have a great idea of what he was doing or what we were doing. That’s where his biggest offseason gains have come. He’s really evolved in his understanding of what we’re doing, and that’s going to help him in situational football. He’s done a lot of situational things the last few days that’s going to allow us to move him around in some different positions. He’s going to be a rock-solid star wherever he is.

And if that wasn’t enough, look at what his position coach, Van Malone, said just last week:

Experience is always the greatest teacher, and the fact is these guys (Parrish and Keenan Garber), once they started to emerge and be players on defense, they’ve been the hardest workers. I’ve always told Jacob we just need him to be more than a leader and take over the room. Well, he’s exhibiting that — and Keenan as well.

I don’t know how old this guy (Parrish) is because he’s been playing so long. He’s an unassuming guy and you can’t pick him out in a room, but when it’s time to do things on the field, he always shows up. At his position, he’s always doing it the right way. At his position, he’s always making plays.

The thing Jacob and I had conversations about when he was a freshman was always making sure he doesn’t tone down and always works hard and to do so because that’s who you are. Where he’s developed the most on the field is what he does off the field and how he leads the room and takes charge and helps players who are playing behind him. He tries to push them to compete the way he does. That’s the biggest growth I’ve seen.

Parrish himself assessed the different ways he has improved during the last offseason:

I know the scheme better. (In 2022), I was new to the game, and it was going too fast for me. Now the game is slowing down, and I’m able to make plays. I’m just more physical, and I’ve put on weight. … That’ll help me this upcoming season.

Parrish’s older brother, Jevon, was a wrestler at Nebraska. (They have a couple of speedy younger brothers, Jason and Joshua, who now are running track and field at Wichita State.)