Former Newberry College star and NFL player Ron Parker will appear on the 2024 South Carolina Football Hall of Fame ballot.

Parker was a lockdown defensive back for the football team, becoming one of the most decorated players in recent history. Ron led the team in interceptions in 2009 (6) and 2010 (5) and passes defended in 2009. For his career, Parker racked up on the postseason awards. He was named South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2009), First-Team All-Conference (2009 & 2010), All-State (2009), All-Region (2009 & 2010), and All-American (2009 & 2010).  

Following Newberry, Parker played in the NFL for eight years for the Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, and Kansas City Chiefs. Ron played in 105 games in his career, making 78 starts. He played in over 5,349 defensive snaps, recording 11 interceptions, 394 combined tackles, 345 solo tackles, 52 assisted tackles, ten tackles for a loss, and seven quarterback hits.   He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2011.

In his final season in 2018 with the Kansas City Chiefs, Parker played in 15 games with 14 starts, finishing third on the team with 77 tackles, along with five passes deflected and two interceptions. On October 21, Parker scored his first NFL touchdown after intercepting a pass from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and returning it 33 yards.

Parker was inducted into the Newberry College Hall of Fame in 2021.

This year's South Carolina Football Hall of Fame ballot includes 75 nominees of players and coaches, featuring 10 Legacy nominees. Legacy nominees honor individuals considered outside of the modern era or those who have passed away. Each nominee was either born, grew up, played in South Carolina, coached at one of the state's collegiate football programs, or made a significant positive impact on football in South Carolina.

This year, the Class of 2024 nomination list represents a SCFHOF record of ten South Carolina college football programs