2021 NFL Draft OLB rankings: Zaven Collins tops Micah Parsons for top spot
By John Blair
2. Micah Parsons, Penn State
6-foot-3, 245 pounds
2021 NFL Draft grade: First round
One of the biggest impact players in college football recently is Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
Parsons came to Penn State ranked as one of the top-10 recruits in the nation and made an impact from day one with the Nittany Lions. In 2018 he led the team in tackles with 83 and was named a Freshman All-American. He followed that up with an even more impressive 2019 when he recorded 109 tackles and 14 tackles for loss, on his way to being named an All-American. He decided to sit out the 2020 season due to concerns about Covid.
Parsons is likely the top athlete in the 2021 NFL Draft, which he will likely prove with an outstanding pro day. Parsons moves incredibly well for someone 245 pounds and has no trouble playing sideline to sideline.
His quickness also helps him as a pass rusher as he is a feared blitzer. He shows good strength overall and with better technique, this should be an even more impressive part of his game. One other positive with Parsons is he is a sure tackler who has a lot of force behind his tackles.
While Parsons is one of the best athletes in the 2021 NFL Draft he is far from the most polished player in the class. He wins most of the battles he faces in college just off of his pure athletic ability.
He has questionable football IQ and needs to do a better job of diagnosing plays in the NFL to live up to his outstanding potential. He has trouble getting off blocks at times as well and needs to learn how to use his hands better in this area. Another concern with Parsons is that he has some maturity concerns both on and off the field.