With the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Micah Parsons, linebacker, Penn State.
Analysis: Provided teams are satisfied about the character concerns, Parsons is a top ten talent in this draft class. The other concern might be the position, as off-ball linebackers tend to be devalued in today’s game. But given what he can do off the edge as a pass rusher in spots, the fact Parsons can also contribute in that way makes him a player worth targeting at the top of the first round. He’s a potential do-it-all guy who could transcend his alleged positional value over time.
Grade: B. Parsons projects well as an inside and outside linebacker, but he can also play in the slot, and with Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch already on board, new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has one of the most athletic linebacker groups in the NFL. The need in the secondary is still clear, but the Cowboys can pick up pieces for that a bit later in the draft,
.jpg?w=600)
