THE EVENT: Roscoe Parrish, Jr. Is Making A Name For Himself

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It is tough to go around life sharing a name with someone who has carved out such a legacy on the football field.

Take Roscoe Parrish, Jr., for example.

Here is a gifted football player who will always be compared to his father. There is no way around it. It happens to kids who has a famous father or sibling – and we have a ton of them down here in South Florida.

But instead of taking the name for granted and realizing that it will indeed open doors for years to come, this Miami High athlete was in Cocoa – three days before spring practice, trying to get an edge.

Joining dozens from the South Florida area at THE EVENT – Cocoa Combine, Parrish was everything you would expect him to be.

He is his father's son all the way – and while he doesn't have dad's blazing speed – this is someone who can plug himself in at five different positions, and he can impact you at all of them.

Parrish and Miami High is indeed a marriage that was made.

With Sedrick Irvin taking over as head coach, and players starting to make their move over to play for the Stingarees, players like Parrish will start to walk those hallowed halls once again.

"My role with Miami High is to do what they need me to do," Parrish said as he worked with FIU and St. Thomas Aquinas grad Wesley Carroll who came to Cocoa to teach. "We have a lot of good players over there and it's exciting."

As you watch this quality young man perform, you realize that he's special, and you also understand that while dad will always be in the conversation, it's the son that is in the spotlight now – and he will be just fine.

As Parrish made a huge statement, so did some others that attended.

As Carroll continues to elevate the quarterback play in South Florida by developing athletes and teaching them the right way, he also took the time out to work with quarterbacks like Parrish, Cox and a few others who came out. He was impressed.

"A lot of athleticism that just needs to have some instruction," said Carroll. "Working with these young men and showing them on or two things that they will take away with them, is the objective."

Winning medals for their performance included:

Fastest Man:
2020 – Marcus Fleming, WR, Miami High: Another of those gifted football players who has the chance to be special. Fleming gives the Stingarees someone who can take it the distance.

Pro Shuttle:
Felipe Starling, WR, Orlando Dr. Phillips: Just a junior, here was a true difference maker at the combine, and will play a big role for the Panthers in 2017. Starling is quick and very athletic.

Tijhani "T.J." Brown, Athlete, Coral Gables: One of those up and coming standouts who has the chance to be very special for the Cavaliers. Brown is very talented.

Vertical:
Michael Cox, QB, Miami Southridge: As we have said often, there are very few people who have the credentials that Cox does, and this Class of 2018 prospect has worked very hard.

Power Ball:
Lazaro Nunez, DL/OL, Homestead South Dade: Here is a Class of 2019 prospect that only adds to what this program has coming back.

There were some other talented football prospects as well. Check these standouts who also came and got better:

2018 – Luis Berges, DE, Hialeah Goleman
2020 – Jose Fernandez, DL, Doral Academy
2019 – William Glover, Jr., WR, Coral Gables
2021 – Terrance Huggins, WR/DB, Ponce Middle
2022 – Maurice Jones, RB/WR, Ponce Middle
2020 – Jethro Joseph, LS, Doral Academy
2021 – Joshua Lopes, PK, Doral Academy
2019 – Michael Lopez, DT, Doral Academy
2020 – Roscoe Parrish, Athlete, Miami High
2024 – Latravious Smiley, QB, Space Coast Christian
2019 – Jimmy Lowery, PK, Plantation American Heritage
2018 – Kendry Rosales, PK, Miami Northwestern
2021 – Joshua Tejeda, WR, Coral Gables
2021 – Keenan Toomer, RB, South Miami
2020 – Ian Valdes, Athlete, Southwest Miami
2019 – Quinton Wade, Athlete, Coral Gables
2020 – Reginald Wimberly, DL, Doral Academy
2020 – Jermaine Witherspoon, CB, Coral Gables

OKC Special Teams Winners
When coach Oscar Castaneda (OKC Kicking Camp) trains special teams players, they are always skilled and very impressive. THE EVENT – Cocoa brought a spotlight on three impressive legs from the South Florida area – as the classes were represented with Class of 2021 prospect Joshua Lopes (Doral Academy), Class of 2019 fast-rising standout Jimmy Lowery from Plantation American Heritage, and Miami Northwestern's 2018 Kendry Rosales. In addition, Doral 2020 long snapper Jethro Joseph won an award as well.

"When we train special teams athletes, we want them to know all phases of kicking, punting and long snapping," Castaneda explained. "That's the way I learned, and I want my students to have that same mindset."