The Dallas Cowboys came into the 2021 NFL Draft with the mindset of rebuilding a defense that was not only putrid in 2020 but arguably the worst in the organization’s history. According to most, the pick for the Cowboys at 10 would be either Alabama’s Patrick Surtain or South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, the draft’s top cornerbacks, but those plans got thrown for a loop Thursday night.
The Carolina Panthers took Horn eighth overall, and the Denver Broncos snatched Surtain at nine, leaving the Cowboys with a decision to make. Surprisingly, they traded back two spots with their hated NFC East rival the Philadelphia Eagles and added an additional third-round pick on Friday (now have three). Once they were on the clock with the 12th pick, the Cowboys added the draft’s top linebacker, Micah Parsons out of Penn State.
Parsons comes with a well-stocked toolbag of skills to the linebacker position. During his days with the Nittany Lions, Parsons dazzled with his freakish size at 6’3 and 245 pounds as a sideline to sideline disrupter. He needs to refine his skills when it comes to diagnosing plays but makes up for it with absurd athleticism and speed to bring ball carriers down which led to 18 tackles for loss during his two years in college. He shoots through gaps without hesitation as a very good run defender. However, he has another valuable part in his game.
The Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native can also rush the passer. In high school, he starred as a defensive end and brought those skills with him once he transitioned to a stand-up, off-the-ball linebacker. At Penn State, Parsons was a great blitzer not only up the middle but also from the edge (had five sacks in 2019) which Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn will take advantage of. Also, he showed a knack for creating turnovers as evidenced by his six forced fumbles on the collegiate level.
Keanu Neal, who was brought in to be more of a linebacker than safety like his days with the Atlanta Falcons, will see his snaps in that role decrease now that Parsons has been brought in. Parsons will likely play all three linebacker positions with the Cowboys. On first and second downs he can play either middle or weakside linebacker and then transition to a pass rusher on third downs. Simply put, he’s a jack of all trades.
Parsons has already shown he can perform under the bright lights of AT&T Stadium. In the 2019 Cotton Bowl, he tied a career-high with 14 tackles (three tackles for loss), had two sacks, two forced fumbles, two passes defended, and was named the Defensive MVP. It capped off an amazing season as he was also named First-Team All-Big Ten, a Consensus All-American, and won the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award.
He has room for improvement like all rookies do, but Parsons comes with a ton of ability and versatility that will instantly improve the Cowboys defense.
