NFL Draft: Penn State Football’s Micah Parsons is best blitzing LB in class

Penn State Football’s Micah Parsons is the most athletically gifted linebacker in the 2021 NFL Draft class, but what has the chance to make him the most valuable to the team that chooses him is his prowess rushing the passer.

A natural pass-rusher, and a five-star defensive end recruit out of high school, Parsons was a two-year starter at inside linebacker for the Nittany Lions, but excelled in coverage sideline-to-sideline as well as getting downhill after quarterbacks and running backs in the backfield.

Ahead of the NFL Draft later this month, Pro Football Focus lists Parsons as the premier blitzing linebacker in this year’s class:

"These first two superlatives go hand in hand, so this shouldn’t be too surprising. If the 246-pound linebacker were classified solely as an edge defender, he’d likely be EDGE1 in the draft class. He’s racked up a ridiculous 36 pressures on 135 pass-rushing snaps in his career for a 91.4 pass-rushing grade. Unsurprisingly, that’s the highest career pass-rush grade in the draft class, with only three other linebackers even above 80.0."

In two seasons in Happy Valley, prior to opting out in 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns, and to prepare for the NFL Draft, Parsons produced 191 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 18 tackles for loss.

But, how good can Parsons be at the NFL level?

One NFL personnel executive recently told Victory Bell Rings that Parsons’ ceiling is that of a perennial All-Pro.

“Most of the time, you get guys who are that fast and that quick but weigh 230 pounds and you can’t figure out where to play him,” the executive says. “This guy moves like that, plays like that, hits like that, and all of a sudden it’s like ‘holy shit, you can play this guy anywhere.’ You can play Micah at inside linebacker, outside backer, he can put his hand in the dirt on third down if you want him to and rush the passer with him.”