Jun. 27—Lewiston’s Parker Bagley has dominated nearly every arena he’s entered, from football fields to wrestling mats to the shot put circle.
Set to play his senior season with the Bengals this fall, he’ll be taking his talents as a defensive lineman to the Boise State football program after committing to the Broncos earlier this month.
Bagley has a long list of accolades, most recently as the 2026 5A/6A Male Athlete of the Year at the North Idaho Hall of Fame, the 2026 Idaho Class 5A shot put state champion and the 2026 Idaho Class 5A wrestling state champion.
As a rising senior, Bagley has another year of opportunities to play high school sports.
According to 247sports.com, Bagley is listed as a three-star edge and the No. 1 overall recruit in Idaho for 2027.
Choosing Boise State felt natural, Bagley said.
“Whenever I go to look for college, I always try to look for the right coaches,” Bagley said. “So, I really felt like it was the right fit with all the coaches and the coaching staff, and then I learned about some of the players.
“I liked the players and how they had a really tight group. So, I’d say that was what made it really good for me, and the community, of course. They have a really good community.”
Bagley went on an official visit to BSU on June 6 with his father, mother and brothers and said “they had a really good feeling about it.”
He committed that day.
Bagley also received offers from Washington State, Idaho, Nevada and San Diego State.
What makes Bagley special on and off the field
Lewiston High coach Zane Hobart called Bagley “super gifted” and said his on-field and off-the-field personality couldn’t be more different.
“You just don’t see a guy that big, that strong and that athletic that often at this level, and that’s kind of what led to his strong recruitment,” Hobart said. “On the field, he’s an animal — that’s just the truth. … Off the field, it’s funny, he’s kind of the exact opposite. He’s just a super outgoing kid that is just the nicest kid in the world. If you know Parker, you know his smile.”
Mike Jones, Bagley’s defensive line coach and throwers coach in track and field at Lewiston, said that he doesn’t believe that Bagley has a ceiling on how good he can get.
“He’s what I would probably call a generational athlete, that athlete that you only see once a generation just in terms of like physical attributes and ability, coachability,” Jones said.
Jones said Bagley is extremely coachable and is talented at picking up tips on the first or second try.
He said that Bagley is very hard-working and that instead of relishing in the fact that he had offers to Division I schools, Bagley continued to pour in hard work, in a way motivating him even more.
“As far as off the field, I’ve given several interviews for Parker, and it always comes back to just some of the core things like his humility, his work ethic, his expectations for himself,” Jones said.
Jones said he told the Boise State coaches that Bagley is a player who shows up before practice and someone who will stay after. He gave an anecdote where he saw Bagley practicing throwing the shot put on a Sunday afternoon by himself.
“It’s really special when you find a kid that has talent and heart, and I think that describes Parker — he has talent, he has heart, and he has a great work ethic,” Jones said. “When you get those three things working in unison, typically you find something special, and that’s what you find with Parker. And not to mention he’s super kind, super relatable — he’s not a ‘look at me’ guy by any stretch, which kind of speaks to his humility. He’s just a good all-around person.”
Overall fit at BSU
Bagley said that spending time with Boise State defensive line coach Frank Maile reminded him of how he is coached with the Bengals.
“The reason why it fits so well is because of the coaching styles and how they’re so similar. Like I’ll be talking to coach (Frank) Maile, and he’ll like explain something to me on how to do it, and it sounds a lot like what my coach would say,” Bagley said.
He said he is most excited for the challenge of the NCAA DI level because in college, there is a “grit and grind” where there is competition every day against players who are just as good or better than him.
“You always gotta improve, and improve and improve,” he said.
Hobart said with the proximity to home, that BSU feels like a perfect fit for Bagley. He also called the Broncos a “top 15 or top 20” program in the country and said that the coaching staff and Bagley will mix well.
“I know Parker went on a lot of visits and met a lot of coaches throughout the country, and he said when he went to that place it just felt like home with all the staff they had there, the head coach, everybody, and he just felt really comfortable when he went on that visit,” Hobart said. “And ultimately, that’s the decision he made.”
Who is Boise State getting?
Bagley said it has “always been (his) dream” to play college football.
He said he was thankful to his parents Brian and Amanda, Hobart, Jones and the entire Boise State coaching staff for helping him get this opportunity.
When discussing who Boise State is getting in Bagley, Jones explained what he told the BSU coaching staff.
“I think you’re getting exactly the kid that you want,” Jones said. “I think that you’re getting a kid that is gonna do everything that he can to maximize his potential in every way, on and off the field. I think that you’re getting a supremely athletic talent. I think you’re getting a good human being. I think you’re getting a humble guy. I think you’re getting the guy that I think he wants to see how good he can be.”
Jones said that Bagley is not a person who will take his situation for granted — he’s a person who wants to excel in everything he does.
Hobart had a similar notion.
“First thing I’d tell him is they’re getting a great human being. (They’re) getting a great kid that’s also really good at football,” Hobart said. “It’s a win-win in my book.”
Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, tjunt@lmtribune.com or on X @TrevorJunt.
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