Penn State Football: Top 4 prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft
By David Glancy
It should come as no surprise to see third-year linebacker Micah Parsons as Penn State’s top NFL draft prospect. Parsons, a projected top-10 pick, likely could have been a first round selection after starting the prior two seasons, had he been eligible for the 2020 NFL Draft.
The All-American linebacker should be considered a lock to go on day one in the 2021 NFL Draft and possibly be the first defensive player selected.
Parsons, the five star Harrisburg native with an offer list from just about every program in the country choose to stay home and attend Penn State. His presence was immediately felt, breaking into the starting lineup as a freshman and earned first team Freshman All-American honors after recording 82 total tackles.
As a sophomore, Parsons earned All-American honors with 102 total tackles including 14 for loss and five sacks. He finished the season strong, winning the Cotton Bowl MVP after registering 14 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles. As Penn State’s star, Parsons looks to again be the leader of a top defense.
After playing defensive end in high school, Parsons immediately made the move to linebacker at Penn State and was given the No. 11 jersey as a nod to his future place among great Nittany Lion linebackers. The 20-year-old can lineup at any linebacker spot for the Nittany Lions and looks to give future NFL teams similar versatility. Parsons has NFL size and speed to be an effective linebacker in coverage and can get sideline to sideline.
Parsons is one of the nation’s top run supporting linebackers and has the explosiveness to get in the backfield breaking up plays before they start and sniffing out the ball.
While he has not been asked to be a primary pass rusher, Parsons possesses the speed and physicality to beat college linemen and could be asked to fill some of the void left after Gross-Matos’s departure. As arguably the most talented linebacker and with three years experience, Parsons projects to be a very high selection.