Three-star QB Jack James commits to Troy football

Gerad Parker and the Troy Trojans have landed their quarterback of the 2025 class, as Paducah (Ky.) Tilghman three-star recruit Jack James announced his decision to pick the defending Sun Belt champions on Thursday evening.

It’s an impressive recruiting win for the Trojans with James picking Troy over offers from Kentucky, Miami (Ohio), Tulane, Charlotte and others. James’ first offer actually came from Troy back during the summer of 2022 under the previous coaching staff, and Parker and Co. made James their No. 1 priority at the position after taking over.

Interestingly enough, the former Troy coaching staff pushed for James to join them at Tulane, and James had the in-state SEC offer, but the efforts of Parker, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Sean Reagan, general manager Drew Casa and Co. paid off in a big way.

James was on Troy’s campus last week for spring practice, which led to his commitment.

“I committed to Troy simply because of the love I felt when I attended spring practice, along with the coaching staff’s plans for me in the future — running the exact same offense I have ran for years,” James told On3. “The facilities they have are top tier and new, which made the choice to commit easier. 

“At the end of the day, I want to go somewhere that football is loved by the program and the people who surround it.”

Parker’s staff has only gotten to know James for the past few months, but their vision for him was a big part of his pledge, and it didn’t hurt that James’ high school quarterbacks coach, Corey Robinson, played for the Trojans a decade ago and threw for over 13,000 yards in four seasons.

And Robinson’s quarterbacks coach during his time at Troy? None other than Reagan, who will be James’ position coach during the veteran coach’s second stint with the Trojans.

“The coaching staff is everything when it comes to recruiting,” said James. “I want to feel as if I’m playing for guys who care about me as a player and a man. Coach Reagan has a history of getting guys to the NFL, which has been a dream of mine since I was a young kid.

“The offense Coach Reagan and Coach Parker bring to Troy is the exact same scheme I have been running for years, so that’s another thing that feels like home to me and won’t be as hard in my transition to the next level.”

James believes his game as a quarterback can be described in four words: toughness, accuracy, leadership and winner.

During his junior season, James completed 255 of 375 passes for 4,019 yards with 56 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He also added 6 rushing scores in helping lead Paducah Tilghman to a 13-1 record. His squad reached the Kentucky 4A state semifinals.

James also wrestles for his high school and was a 2023 Kentucky state champion in the 215-pound division. He also plays for his school’s baseball team.

The 6-0, 208-pounder ranks as the nation’s No. 887 overall prospect and No. 66 quarterback according to the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Kentucky Prep Gridiron named him the Kentucky Big School Offensive Player of The Year for his efforts in 2023.

James is Troy’s second commit of the 2025 class, joining Centreville (Ala.) Bibb County safety Antonious Steele.