2021 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears trade up for QB in two-round mock draft

Shaun Bradley, Alex Singleton, Duke Riley, T.J. Edwards, Davion Taylor… All household names, right? Didn’t think so. Those are the names of the current linebackers for the Philadelphia Eagles. Eagles, meet Micah Parsons.

Parsons can do it all in the middle of the defense and did just that for the Nittany Lions. In the run game, he can run sideline-to-sideline in a flash. He is a sound tackler with great instincts for finding the ball carrier.

In the passing game, Parsons is certainly capable of holding his own in coverage. He is athletic and physical enough to cover tight ends and running backs and has the football IQ and instincts to make plays in zone.

But where Parsons really thrives is rushing the passer. Whether he is blitzing up the middle or sticking his hand in the dirt on the edge, Parsons has a nose for the quarterback. He has some legitimately polished pass rush moves, to the point where he would probably be a first-round pick if he was just an edge rusher.

Parsons would be an incredible chess piece for Jim Schwartz and the Philadelphia defense. Despite playing primarily outside linebacker at Penn State, Parsons could play any of the three linebacker spots for the Eagles. He could stand to play a little more physical taking on blockers, but overall, there isn’t much that Parsons doesn’t do well. Six may seem high for an off-ball linebacker, but Parsons brings so much to the table that this would be a great pick for Howie Roseman and the Eagles.