Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons put on a freak show during Penn State’s recent pro day event, and it continues to solidify the chances he is drafted in the first round by some NFL team in need of a boost at the position during the 2021 NFL Draft. Based on the reaction to the pro day results from USA TODAY’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, Parsons still has as good a chance as any to be selected with a top 10 pick.
Among the many observations from pro days around the country, including Ohio State, Alabama, and Clemson, Parsons reassured any potential doubters he may have had after opting out of the 2020 season entirely. Parsons showed up looking to be in as good as shape as possible, suggesting the decision to opt out didn’t have a negative impact on his condition. But because he did opt out of the season, some may have forgotten just how gifted and athletic Parsons really is. That was the big takeaway from pro day for Middlehurst-Schwartz.
“Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons also provided a refresher on his superlative skill set after he sat out the 2020 season. He ran a receiver-like 4.39-second 40 at 6-3 and 246 pounds. Offering rare athleticism and playmaking ability, Parsons has as good a shot as anyone to be the first defensive player taken – perhaps in the top 10. “
It seems as though updated mock drafts still have Parsons going in the first half of the NFL draft, but he is trending outside the top 10 due to various trades being made and the specific team needs of franchises slotted in the top 10 not necessarily focusing on defense or linebacker. Todd McShay of ESPN recently updated his mock draft to send Parsons to the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 12 pick.
5 landing spots for Penn State’s Micah Parsons in the NFL draft
Parsons was still predicted to go to the Denver Broncos with the No. 9 pick in the most recent mock draft from Touchdown Wire. The pro day results probably will not cause him to slide much, if at all.
While Parsons is the most notable Penn State player in this year’s NFL draft pool, the intrigue surrounding defensive end Jayson Oweh continues to rise. Oweh was also on Middlehurst-Schwartz’s radar. After another impressive display at Penn State pro day, Oweh’s fate will now be up to the scouts who must counterbalance his athletic skill and potential against the fact he recorded zero sacks in a shortened 2020 season.
One number has hounded Penn State’s Jayson Oweh for much of the pre-draft process: zero, as in the number of sacks he had in 2020. Yet the hyperathletic pass rusher now might be closely tied to another number: 4.36, his astonishing 40 time. Now it’s up to talent evaluators to decide how to balance his explosiveness and straight-line speed with the lack of polish from a player who didn’t begin his football career until his junior year of high school.
Oweh will be an interesting prospect to follow leading up to and during the NFL draft. To some, Oweh could sneak into a late first-round draft pick. Or he could go as late as the third round. Unlike Parsons, there is little consistency on Oweh’s draft outlook, but he does appear to be a player moving up the big boards.
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PHOTOS: Penn State’s first round NFL draft picks since joining the Big Ten