Mustang High School has its fair share of athletes who are entering this school year with high expectations, but maybe none more than senior receiver David Parker.

At the end of last spring, Bronco head football coach Jeremy Dombek said Parker was “the best athlete he has coached since he coached Justin Blackmon when he was in high school.”

Now, if some of you out there are scratching your heads trying to figure out who Justin Blackmon is, let me refresh your memory.

Blackmon was the All-American wide receiver at Oklahoma State University several years ago and is now playing in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Blackmon was one of the key reasons the Cowboys were able to get out of the Big 12 Conference cellar and win their first conference crown in school history in 2011.

So, for Dombek to say that about Parker is pretty high praise for the MHS senior. To some athletes, that kind of compliment would make them wilt away and never be seen again, but for Parker, he said he welcomes the comparison.

“That means a lot for Coach Dombek to say that about me,” he said. “I have a lot of respect for Justin Blackmon and I look up to him as a player. He is a great player. I hope I can have the same type of impact on the field for my team this year as he has had for his teams.”

Parker stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs around 185 pounds. He has the athletic ability of a panther. Parker can jump through the air to snag the football like a great white shark flying out of the sea to eat his or her dinner. He can also flat-out run by his defender at any given moment. Parker is the prototype wide receiver in football today.

In order for Parker to achieve his personal goals as a player, he knows the team goals will have to be accomplished.

“For the team, I just want us to go undefeated and win the state championship,” he said. “I know we have the talent to do that. We just have to go out there and do it. We have been working hard all offseason and in the summer. I’m not really worried about personal goals because I know as a senior for the team to be successful I have to go out and play well.”

There has been a lot of talk surrounding high school football in Class 6A in this state. This will be the first year there will be two 6A classes. 6A-1 will comprise the 16 largest schools in Oklahoma and 6A-2 will be the next 16.

With the new class and new districts, Mustang will have to play a tougher overall schedule than it has in the past. Now, instead of playing Putnam City West and Choctaw in the district, they have to play Tulsa Union and Owasso.

Parker said he is looking forward to the new challenge.

“We have to bring it every week,” he said. “We can’t take any nights off. We have to come out and play well in order to have a chance to win every week. I think we are going to handle it well. I’m looking forward to the new schedule.”