Micah Parsons is tearing it up at Cowboys training camp

Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is already tearing things up in Dallas Cowboys training camp.

Training camp has begun, and we are already seeing rookies taking the league by storm. Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons has been tearing it up in camp early.

Parsons was selected 12th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Not too long before, the team lost Sean Lee to retirement, another former Nittany Lion. Shortly after the draft, the Cowboys also decided to listen to trade offers for Leighton Vander-Esch, who has also been impressing in camp. Both of these Cowboys linebackers have struggled with injuries throughout their careers, which resulted in them taking a linebacker early in Parsons.

Cowboys’ Micah Parsons hopes to rely on retired Sean Lee ‘as a great mentor’

According to a report from Peter King’s “Football Morning in America”,  Parsons has been practicing like it’s October; “wrecking practice.”

Another camp observer said Parsons has been making a play or two every practice with his ability to diagnose plays from all over the field.

The Draft Network’s Jordan Reid was able to sit down and talk to Parsons back in October 2020 about his Penn State legacy and what he is able to bring to a team. Reid pretended he was an NFL team and asked Parsons what his biggest strengths he could bring to a team were. Parsons mentioned that one of his biggest strengths is his instincts and IQ level, and we were able to see a lot of that during his time at Penn State.

The Dallas Cowboys come into the season with a lot to prove under second-year head coach Mike McCarthy and a healthy Dak Prescott. The team finished with a disappointing 5-10 record last season and looks to hopefully capitalize this year in a struggling NFC East division.

The Cowboys are getting a really special player in Parsons. As mentioned, the team has struggled to keep linebackers healthy over the past few years. With both Vander-Esch and Parsons impressing at camp, this could be a scary linebacker duo to watch out for during the 2021 season.

[vertical-gallery id=5138]

[lawrence-related id=5210,4351,4263,3992,3711,2862,2745,2736]

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[listicle id=5071]

Dan Quinn talks Parsons, Cowboys’ front 7 through first phase of training camp

Dan Quinn had good things to say about many of the Cowboys defenders in a post training camp media session. We go through the quotes on the linebackers and linemen at the top of the depth chart. | From @AsaHenry_55

From the moment Dan Quinn arrived in Dallas he has been commended by those close to the team for his infectious passion for football and clear plan for fixing one of the league’s worst defenses. The good news for Quinn is that he doesn’t need to get the Cowboys to the top of the defensive ranks, as just getting to league average would be a massive improvement upon 2020.

Quinn has been very hands-on while installing the defensive scheme and teaching new techniques, which has allowed him to get a good gauge of his new players and their progress this offseason. During Friday’s  media session the former Atlanta Falcons’ head coach gave positive reports on numerous defenders who will need to have solid seasons for Dallas to achieve its goals.

Linebacker continued to be a main topic of conversation, which was expected as many viewed the position as Dallas’ most competitive and intriguing entering training camp. The other group that will play a massive role in improving the rush defense, the defensive line, received the second-most attention.

What ratings are former Penn State players getting in Madden NFL 22?

What rating did Saquon Barkley and Allen Robinson get in Madden NFL 22?

You can tell football is coming soon, because people are going crazy over the ratings given to some of the top NFL players in the annual release of the Madden NFL video game franchise. Madden NFL 22 is just around the corner and the first batch of player ratings have started to be revealed.

We’ll keep track of some of the notable Penn State players getting rated by the video game this year and see how they all stack up.

What ratings are former Penn State players getting in Madden NFL 22?

What rating did Saquon Barkley and Allen Robinson get in Madden NFL 22?

You can tell football is coming soon, because people are going crazy over the ratings given to some of the top NFL players in the annual release of the Madden NFL video game franchise. Madden NFL 22 is just around the corner and the first batch of player ratings have started to be revealed.

We’ll keep track of some of the notable Penn State players getting rated by the video game this year and see how they all stack up.

NFL analyst sees ‘Von Miller-like impact’ for Cowboys LB Micah Parsons

Big, fast, and explosive: the Cowboys see many shared qualities between their rookie LB and the Broncos’ 8-time Pro Bowl sackmaster. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The expectations were already high for Micah Parsons, the first-round draft pick taken by the Cowboys this year. Coming off a franchise-worst year defensively, the team bypassed secondary studs and interior run-stuffers to select the linebacker out of Penn State.

Now as training camp approaches, Parsons will be leaned on to contribute heavily in his rookie season. But one expert is already mentioning the youngster’s name in the same breath as one of the league’s most feared game-wreckers.

Citing Parsons’s formidable speed and pass-rush abilities, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero thinks the 22-year-old can have “a Von Miller-like impact” in Dallas this season.

In 2011, Miller was the second overall pick in the draft. On his very first snap in a regular season game, he forced a fumble for the Broncos defense. He went on to compile 11.5 sacks and was named Defensive Rookie of the Year en route to a Pro Bowl appearance.

Pelissero notes that Miller was “more of an edge player” coming out of Texas A&M. But with a shift in Denver to a 4-3 defensive scheme, Miller found himself in an “off-the-ball strong-side linebacker” role to allow him to get after the quarterback.

The eight-time Pro Bowler is big, fast, and explosive. Parsons checks many of the same boxes for the Dallas coaching staff. They believe “he has A-plus pass rush traits,” says Pelissero.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn “is going to find ways for Micah Parsons to get after the passer, much as the Broncos have for Von Miller,” he continues, “and obviously as his career progressed, that became his primary role.”

In Dallas, where sack totals have placed the club in the bottom half of the league for multiple seasons, that would be a welcome change of pace indeed.

[listicle id=672960]

[vertical-gallery id=670875]

[listicle id=673639]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Penn State football returns in 8 weeks

Recapping the week that was for Penn State football news and headlines, including a Twitter beef with Ohio State recruits

What will you be doing in two months? Watching Penn State football. That’s what.

The countdown to kickoff for Penn State continues as we are now just eight Saturdays away from seeing the Nittany Lions kickoff the 2021 season on the road in a challenging Big Ten opener in Madison, Wisconsin against the Wisconsin Badgers. And if the summer momentum is any indication, Penn State could be preparing for a big bounceback season in 2021.

Penn State’s recruiting has been cruising its way up the national recruiting rankings lately. This week saw Penn State climb as high as No. 2 in the national recruiting rankings. That’s in large part to having a brilliant July 4th weekend with commitment after commitment after commitment after commitment. That was followed by a key in-state commitment from running back Nicholas Singleton. The commitment frenzy led one member of Penn State’s loaded Class of 2022 to brag about Penn State’s recruiting efforts and jab the beats that is Ohio State just a bit.

Penn State commit takes aim at Buckeyes

It’s all in good fun though, right?

Penn State’s top players being recognized

It’s preseason time in college football, with all-conference lists and top player lists turning out left and right. Sporting News recognized wide receiver Jahan Dotson as a first-team All-American, and Pro Football Focus listed safety Jaquan Brisker among their top 50 players in college football entering the 2021 season.

Micah Parsons is gonna be a star

Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is getting settled in with his new team, the Dallas Cowboys. And with the HBO series Hard Knocks set to profile the Cowboys, one Dallas-based sportswriter says Parsons is going to be one of the top stories to follow on the docuseries.

In the meantime, the countdown to Penn State’s 2021 season opener continues.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[vertical-gallery id=3817]

[listicle id=4349]

[lawrence-related id=4420,4417,4413,4411,4392]

Sportswriter says Micah Parsons is ‘gonna be your Hard Knocks storyline’

One Dallas-based sportswriter says Micah Parsons will be “your Hard Knocks storyline.”

The start of a new football season is rapidly approaching, which means training camps will be opening up soon enough. And while Penn State is gearing up for what they hope will be a big rebound season, former Nittany Lions linebacker Micah Parsons is preparing for his rookie season in the NFL. And the HBO spotlight is expected to be on him during this season’s edition of Hard Knocks.

Dallas-based sportswriter and radio personality Matt Moseley recently joined Colin Cowherd on FOX Sports Radio to break down some of the expectations for the Dallas Cowboys. During the interview, Mosley mentioned how much hype is being placed on Parsons already, and he went so far as to suggest Parsons could be one of the main themes of Hard Knocks.

“Parsons at linebacker, that will be your Hard Knocks storyline,” Mosley said. “Basically, this kid’s already basically going to be the whole star of that show.”

Parsons being a flashy first-round draft pick of one of the world’s most famous franchises is perfect fodder for an inside look at training camp, so it’s not too surprising to hear Mosley suggest this about Parsons and Hard Knocks. The return of quarterback Dak Prescott likely will be a main storyline as well for Hard Knocks, but Parsons is already set to be one of the true stars of the franchise.

Hard Knocks will debut on August 10 on HBO.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

HBO will follow Micah Parsons and his new team on Hard Knocks

Penn State’s Micah Parsons is expected to be featured on HBO’s award-winning Hard Knocks this summer.

[mm-video type=video id=01f9m03844ajh4zhbhq6 playlist_id=01ey902ehrs6e9bvhw player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f9m03844ajh4zhbhq6/01f9m03844ajh4zhbhq6-5dc1fbaca77135098814a311c53a90ca.jpg]

Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is preparing for his rookie season in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, and there is a good possibility we will get some inside looks at Parsons in training camp this summer. HBO announced this week it will follow the Dallas Cowboys for this year’s edition of Hard Knocks, the critically-acclaimed series taking a behind-the-scenes look at life in NFL training camp.

The Cowboys, love them or hate them, certainly have a lot going on for them in terms of interest. Penn State fans will be eager to see Parsons profiled as much as possible as the Cowboys’ No. 12 overall draft pick. Parsons is being set up to be the franchise linebacker for years to come, essentially taking the torch from former Penn State linebacker Sean Lee after Lee’s retirement.

But the Cowboys also have former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott and former Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott’s story will be particularly noteworthy as he returns from his season-ending injury from last year. Prescott’s injury is largely blamed for the Cowboys not capitalizing on a dreadful NFC East Division.

The Cowboys also have a new head coach running the team in former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.

How much of Parsons we see remains to be seen, but he will certainly be among the storylines the HBO cameras will be focusing on this year.

Hard Knocks: The Dallas Cowboys will premiere on August 2010. Parsons and the Cowboys will help kickoff the 2021 NFL Season as the road team in the league’s Thursday night opener against the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 9.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[vertical-gallery id=2575]

[listicle id=3045]

[lawrence-related id=4169,3992,3711,3583,2862,2745]

News: David DeCastro, Nick Foles as Cowboys? Zack Martin’s rank? Herschel runs again?

Nick Foles as a possible trade target, NFL cheerleaders find themselves in an uncertain time. All this and more in Cowboys News and Notes.

The big guys up front lead the pack in this edition of News and Notes. Many are wondering if the six-time Pro Bowler recently released by Pittsburgh is worth a look in Dallas. This comes just as the Cowboys’ own perennial Pro Bowl guard is revealed to be in rarefied air among NFL players. And the need for depth along the O-line is leading one Cowboys scribe to scour other team’s rosters for trade targets.

Elsewhere, a Super Bowl MVP is mentioned as a possible backup to Dak Prescott, a spot of considerable concern for one ESPN writer. There’s linebacker talk as one current star looks to return to form while a rising star calls to mind more than one Cowboys great. Dalton Schultz spent the weekend getting tips from the league’s best tight ends, and Kelvin Joseph vows he’ll be ready for opening day. Emmitt Smith leads the charge in vaccination efforts, Herschel Walker may be running again (for office), and NFL cheerleaders find themselves in a uncertain time. All that, plus a farewell to a former team staffer.

2 positions where Cowboys camp battles will be hotly contested

As training camp approaches, the Dallas Cowboys have big time defensive questions that will fuel fierce camp competitions.

The Dallas Cowboys are less than a month away from making the familiar trek to Oxnard, California for training camp. The team can officially start camp on July 21, a week before most teams, as they prepare for the Hall of Fame game against Pittsburgh on August 5.

Since re-signing Dak Prescott in March, the Cowboys have had a relatively uneventful offseason, something that is unusual for Jerry Jones’ club. However, things are set to heat up for the Cowboys once they reach the west coast, as the club has intriguing positional competitions on the horizon.

The offense is pretty much set in Dallas, other than depth positions like the third tight end, third quarterback, or fifth wide receiver. The defense is a much different story, as very few defenders are locked into starting roles, which should make for an intriguing training camp and early season.

With uncertainty being a theme for the Dallas defense, let’s take a look at two of the positions that face a ton of questions, and have potential for fierce competition as we head towards training camp.