Penn State Football: Micah Parsons will be top-10 pick after fast 40 time

Former Penn State football player Micah Parsons probably guaranteed he will be a top-10 pick after running a blazing 40-yard dash on Thursday.

Defenders like Penn State football‘s Micah Parsons are rare and that became even more apparent after Parsons ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash at his Pro Day Thursday.

Parsons was already generating a lot of buzz leading up to the 2021 NFL draft and some even had him going into the top 10. The Detroit Lions, who own the No. 7 overall pick have become a popular destination for the Penn State football alum.

Previously, it was thought that the Lions could possibly trade down and get Parsons, but now, the linebacker could make a run at being the top defensive player picked in the 2021 NFL draft.

Parsons didn’t play for Penn State football during the 2020 season, opting out. Yet, in 2019, his last season with the Nittany Lions and his sophomore campaign, he was a dominant force and finished with 109 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five facks and four forced fumbles.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebacker also notched four passes defended, which is another reason why he’s going to be a top-10 pick.

Last month, Matt Lombardo of Victory Bell Rings collected some interesting info about Parsons from an NFL executive, who said he could be better than Devon White. Here’s what Lombardo wrote:

"“He can be a game-changer,” a long-time NFL personnel executive tells VictoryBellRings, on the condition of anonymity so he could speak freely on Parsons as he still consults for several teams. “Devin White, who I loved coming out of LSU, Micah is a much better prospect than him. Devin was very athletic, very fast, you see it on the NFL level.”"

The executive also had this to say to Lombardo about Parsons’s unique athletic ability.

"“I like Micah a lot,” the executive says. “I like the fact that he moves and plays like he’s a 235-pound guy, and he’s 245-250 pounds. That’s very unique. He flies around, but yet he brings substance with him, and that’s hard to find.”"

Of course, this is relevant because of Parson’s 4.39 time in the 40. For scouts and executives, that will only confirm the scouting report above.

Having a guy like White who is just around the ball all the time is kind of the ideal linebacker in the NFL these days. White never has to come off the field. He’s a true three-down player and so is Parsons, which is essential when so many teams run up-tempo offenses.

The other thing is that if you talk about mismatches, Parsons’ athletic ability will allow coaches to move him all over the place. He can blitz, cover, play the run and attack the edge.

Parsons was probably already going to be a top-10 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, but now, I’d say it’s guaranteed.