2021 NFL Draft: First-Round mock draft using Madden 20 sim for draft order
LB. Penn State. 8. 28. Pick Analysis. Micah Parsons. player. Scouting Report
The Las Vegas Raiders have done a nice job of building through the draft in recent years. Jon Gruden and company have torn down their roster and done a great job of finding players who can make an impact for the team on both sides of the ball.
Perhaps a new quarterback to replace Derek Carr would be ideal here, but there simply is not a quarterback worth taking at No. 8. Instead, the Raiders turn their attention to one of the premier defenders in the 2021 NFL Draft class, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
Parsons is an incredibly athletic linebacker prospect who fits the modern NFL perfectly. He has tremendous range at the position and closes on the ball carrier with incredible explosive speed. Parsons is an impact defender who shines in pass coverage and against the run. His ability to explode off of the snap and get up to full speed quickly also makes him an impressive weapon as a pass rusher.
The Raiders have found some nice, young defensive pieces to build around, but they still lack a true centerpiece of their defense. Parsons is a special athlete at the linebacker position who the Raiders could legitimately use to build their entire defense around. Snagging him at No. 8 would undoubtedly be a smart move for this team.