Tag: Micah Parsons

Micah Parsons and Bill Belichick? One NFL writer sees it in his mock draft

One Penn State player could be heading to the defending Super Bowl champs, while another may play for one of the best coaches of all time.

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It is now officially crunch time to get in those final copies of mock drafts before the 2021 NFL Draft kicks off in Cleveland on Thursday night. With the final hours of mock draft season coming down the home stretch, there is one more from NFL.com that projects a pair of Nittany Lions to go in the first round on Thursday night.

Rhett Lewis of NFL.com published his mock draft on Monday. Not surprisingly, Lewis is among the many mock draft experts sending Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the first overall pick to play for former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer. Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is the first Nittany Lion off the board according to Lewis. Lewis projects Parsons will be drafted with the No. 15 pick owned by the New England Patriots.

Lewis has Parsons projected slightly later than a number of other mock drafts, although the No.1 5 pick seems to fall on the lower end of the pick spectrum for Parsons. Lewis even admits it is entirely possible Parsons will be gone by the time the Patriots get to make their first-round pick.

“It’s possible Parsons is long gone at this point, as I could see him coming off the board as early as No. 7 to the Lions,” Lewis explained. “If that’s the case, would Bill Belichick consider drafting a WR in the first round for the second time in three years, with the Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith available here? That said, the Patriots have had better success with defenders in this range, and Parsons is the pick for me.”

As for defensive end Jayson Oweh, Lewis sees the rising prospect rounding out the first night of the draft by being selected by the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although the Bucs appear set at the defensive end position, Lewis believes there is enough to like about drafting Oweh with the final pick of the first round and allowing him to learn from his potential new teammates.

“Tampa inked Shaq Barrett to an extension and brought [Jason Pierre-Paul] back, too, but the supremely athletic Oweh gets a chance to learn from two of the best at the position while contributing in a rotational role off the edge,” Lewis notes. “Seeing how vital pass rush was in Tampa’s playoff run, supporting that aspect of last season’s success seems like a solid move.”

Of course, Oweh would be welcomed to his potential new home by a pair of former Nittany Lions. Wide receiver Chris Godwin and offensive lineman Donovan Smith can help Oweh get acclimated to his new surroundings if he ends up heading to Tampa.

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Washington gets dynamic linebacker in new PFF mock draft

The Washington Football Team had one glaring weakness on defense in 2020. Despite having arguably the top defensive line in the NFL, the

The Washington Football Team had one glaring weakness on defense in 2020. Despite having arguably the top defensive line in the NFL, the Football Team struggled at linebacker.

In a new mock draft by Pro Football Focus, Washington gets the top linebacker in Penn State’s Micah Parsons at No. 19 overall to fill that need.

As far as pure talent, Parsons is one of the top 10 players in the 2021 NFL draft. While many have felt he would be the top defender taken, that is no longer a certainty with some teams having concern about Parsons’ maturity.

So, while it seemed unthinkable Parsons could slip to No. 19 in January, that possibly does exist three days before the first round begins.

Here’s what PFF had to say about Parsons to Washington:

Parsons was at one point the betting favorite to be the first defender chosen, and while he has since fallen off, there is a relatively good reason for it. However, his statistical comps when looking at coverage include Bobby Wagner and Fred Warner, two off-ball linebackers that we’ll all argue matter.

Washington coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio are former standout linebackers in the NFL. They realize the team needs a dynamic playmaker in the middle and Parsons fits that mold.

If Parsons does slip to No. 19, it’s difficult to imagine Washington not selecting him.

 

Cory Bonini’s 2021 NFL mock draft 4.0

Check out the final mock draft update for 2021.

Here’s my final 2021 NFL mock draft. I’ve projected a pair of trades inside of the top 10, each denoted with an asterisk.

We published more mock drafts and player profiles than ever before this year, so be sure to check our 2021 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of the offerings.

2021 NFL Mock Draft notables

  • In the last release, a projected Chicago-Atlanta trade gave the Bears their quarterback of the future. In recent weeks, I’ve come around to the idea of the Falcons taking Florida TE Kyle Pitts here. The offense will find ways to get him involved early on, and new head coach Arthur Smith is a former tight ends coach, so you know he’ll be excited to see what he can do with the phenom.
  • That doesn’t mean the Bears won’t make a deal to get into the top 10 for a passer. Carolina lessened its need for a cornerback after signing veteran A.J. Bouye, and I don’t see quarterback being a realistic option after the Sam Darnold trade — if for no reason other than politics. There is still a need for receiver help and a tight end upgrade, but both can wait. The Panthers and Bears swap No. 1 picks, in addition to Carolina picking up future choices for going down to No. 20, which enables Chicago to land North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance to learn in the short term behind Andy Dalton. Provided the GM and coaching staff survives, here’s their chance to get it right after whiffing on Mitchell Trubisky.

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  • I have the New England Patriots mocked for a trade with the Detroit Lions to get into the No. 7 spot to select Justin Fields, leapfrogging other quarterback-needy franchises that may be looking at dealing with Carolina for the eighth pick. Fields can learn for a year behind Cam Newton and then take over in 2022. Josh McDaniels’ system is notoriously complex, and there’s no need to throw Fields to the wolves in the upcoming season’s opening few weeks. If Newton struggles or gets hurt, then all bet are off as to when we’ll see the Ohio State product. I believe McDaniels will indeed replace Bill Belichick one day, and the current OC will have a say in which player he prefers to mold his playbook around.
  • The trade sends Detroit down to 15, where they can still land the best receiver remaining. It could be DeVonta Smith, if the Philadelphia Eagles find Jaylen Waddle to be a better fit for their plans. Waddle could “fall” a few spots and give Detroit the playmaker it likely would have chosen at No. 7.
Pick
 Team
Pos
 Player School
1
 Jacksonville Jaguars
QB
 Trevor Lawrence Clemson
2
 New York Jets
QB
 Zach Wilson BYU
3
 San Francisco 49ers (via MIA>HOU)
QB
 Mac Jones Alabama
4
 Atlanta Falcons
TE
 Kyle Pitts Florida
5
 Cincinnati Bengals
OT
 Penei Sewell Oregon
6
 Miami Dolphins (via PHI)
WR
 Ja’Marr Chase LSU
7
 New England Patriots* (via DET)
QB
 Justin Fields Ohio State
8
 Chicago Bears* (via CAR)
QB
 Trey Lance North Dakota State
9
 Denver Broncos
LB
 Micah Parsons Penn State
10
 Dallas Cowboys
CB
 Patrick Surtain II Alabama
11
 New York Giants
EDGE
 Jaelen Phillips Miami (Fla.)
12
 Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA>SF)
WR
 DeVonta Smith Alabama
13
 Los Angeles Chargers
OT
 Christian Darrisaw Virginia Tech
14
 Minnesota Vikings
OT
 Rashawn Slater Northwestern
15
 Detroit Lions* (via NE)
WR
 Jaylen Waddle Alabama
16
 Arizona Cardinals
EDGE
 Kwity Paye Michigan
17
 Las Vegas Raiders
LB
 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Notre Dame
18
 Miami Dolphins
RB
 Najee Harris Alabama
19
 Washington Football Team
CB
 Caleb Farley Virginia Tech
20
 Carolina Panthers* (via CHI)
OT
 Dillon Radunz North Dakota State
21
 Indianapolis Colts
DE
 Gregory Rousseau Miami (Fla.)
22
 Tennessee Titans
CB
 Jaycee Horn South Carolina
23
 New York Jets (via SEA)
RB
 Travis Etienne Clemson
24
 Pittsburgh Steelers
OG/OT
 Alijah Vera-Tucker USC
25
 Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR)
S
 Trevon Moehrig TCU
26
 Cleveland Browns
WR
 Kadarius Toney Florida
27
 Baltimore Ravens
EDGE
 Zaven Collins Tulsa
28
 New Orleans Saints
CB
 Greg Newsome II Northwestern
29
 Green Bay Packers
OT
 Jalen Mayfield Michigan
30
 Buffalo Bills
EDGE
 Azeez Ojulari Georgia
31
 Kansas City Chiefs
OG/C
 Landon Dickerson Alabama
32
 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LB
 Nick Bolton Missouri

*projected trade

Giants select Micah Parsons in Peter King’s final mock draft

In the final mock draft from NBC’s Peter King, the New York Giants selected Penn State LB Micah Parsons.

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Peter King of NBC Sports has released his final mock ahead of the 2021 NFL draft and he has the New York Giants staying put at No. 11 overall.

So, who does general manager Dave Gettleman select with cornerback Jaycee Horn, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, tackle Rashawn Slater, guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and multiple edge rushers still on the board?

None of the above.

11. New York Giants—Micah Parsons, OLB, Penn State

Last Giants’ first-round linebacker: Carl Banks, 1983. Okay, so once every 38 years a linebacker comes out who’s worth it. The Giants always do a good job disguising their intentions, and this year they’ve been particularly good. Three things I’ve heard: Joe Judge loves DeVonta Smith; the organization likes cornerback Jaycee Horn a lot; and Dave Gettleman loves Parsons. If you can get past some of the immature pockmarks on his résumé, there is so much to love. Easily the best linebacker in the draft, with the ability to be a top edge player and double as a sideline-to-sideline presence. Now, he’s only a one-year starter, didn’t play football last year, and the Giants will have to be comfortable with the fact he’s had maturity issues. Smith or Horn could easily be the pick here—Parsons is my best guess—but 4.36-in-the-40 linebackers are quite rare.

Hearing that Joe Judge loves Smith is a first. Previously, all reports suggested it was Gettleman who was “enamored” with Smith, which could very much be true. And if both Judge and Gettleman have eyes on Smith, he’ll be the pick if he’s there.

As far as Parsons, there’s no denying his athletic skill as a non-pass rushing linebacker. But is that really what the Giants need? He’d certainly add to an already strong defense, but it would do little to shore up the cornerback depth or lack of a game-changing pass rusher.

There are undoubtedly fans who would love the selection of Parsons, but it would not be a unanimous consensus by any stretch.

What James Franklin said about NFL draft prospect Micah Parsons

Penn State head coach James Franklin will travel to Cleveland to be with linebacker Micah Parsons on the first night of the draft.

On Thursday night, Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is expected to be chosen in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland. Parsons will be among the 13 players attending the draft in person, and he will not be alone representing the Nittany Lions. Penn State head coach James Franklin says he will be making the trip to Cleveland to support one of the best defensive players he has coached in Happy Valley.

Following Friday night’s spring practice in Beaver Stadium, Franklin shared some of his thought son Parsons as he prepares to begin his journey in the NFL. Here is what the head coach of Penn State had to say about one of the top defensive players in the 2021 NFL Draft:

I think the thing that really jumps out with Micah is how well he is able to retain information and how deeply thinks about subjects like his teammates or like the organization that drafts him. Some of the messages and conversations I’ve had with Micah over the years were really impressive, thoughtful conversations. I think he’s also a guy that that loves to compete. I think whenever the periods in practice when the drills were competitive in nature, he brings a different element to your organization. That was something that always jumped out.

Parsons sat out the 2020 season due to health concerns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he returned to State College to put on quite a show during Penn State’s pro day at the beginning of spring practices. The display by Parsons and others, including defensive end Jayson Oweh, led Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to refer to Penn State’s pro day as a freak show. Parsons has been projected to be a consensus first-round draft pick, although where exactly he goes in the first round has been up for debate among mock draft experts.

Wherever Parsons ends up going, Franklin knows the linebacker will be ready to enjoy the moment and compete in everything he does.

I think you guys know he’s a guy that loves bowling and things like that. Whatever you do with Micah, he is going to battle and compete like crazy. So, I just think his ability to have fun out at practices and meetings and his ability to retain information. I think he brings a little bit of an edge to your defense and to your program. But I think one of the things that he’s learned here, which I think is an important lesson that so many players need to learn, is when is it the time to have fun and be silly and mess around and laugh? And when is it time to lock in and be focused? And Micah has learned that. I think it’s an important lesson to learn and something we talk about a lot with our guys and Micah is in a really good place with that.

The NFL draft begins Thursday, April 29 in Cleveland, Ohio.

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

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Which Penn State players are attending the 2021 NFL Draft in person or virtually?

Two other Nittany Lions will participate in the 2021 NFL Draft through a virtual method.

The NFL draft next week will include three Penn State players attending the draft, whether in person or virtually.

It was previously confirmed that Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons will be attending the 2021 NFL Draft in person. Parsons is widely expected to be a first-round draft pick, and he could even go in the top 10 if things fall into place. Parsons will be one of 13 players attending the draft in person. Other players attending the draft in person this year include Alabama‘s Patrick Surtain II, Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, BYU’s Zach Wilson, Florida‘s Kyle Pitts, and LSU‘s Ja’Marr Chase.

As you can see from the list of draft invitees to attend in person, there are some obvious omissions from the list. Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields are among the more notable players who will be watching the draft unfold from the comfort of home, but they will be included in the draft festivities through a virtual format.

Two Nittany Lions hoping to hear their name in the early rounds will also be a part of the draft through a virtual approach. Jayson Oweh and Pat Freiermuth will be among 45 players scheduled to virtually be a part of the draft.

That won’t be the only bit of Penn State flavor in the draft. Former Pittsburgh Steeler and Penn State standout running back Franco Harris will announce a pick for the Steelers on the second day of the draft. Harris will be among the NFL legends making picks for their respective franchises.

Could Harris be announcing a Steelers draft pick of a Nittany Lion? Tune in next week to find out!

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NFL Mock Draft roundup: Where everyone is projecting Micah Parsons one week from the 2021 NFL Draft

Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons appears to be a trendy pick for the Denver Broncos, but a few draft experts have other ideas in mind.

Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is widely expected to be a first-round draft pick in next week’s NFL draft. Although every mock draft seems to have Parsons going somewhere in the first round, the projections for where he will land appear to vary to a good degree.

This is not too surprising, of course. After the first few picks in most NFL drafts, after a few of the obvious picks are taken off the board, things become a pretty big guessing game. Also, the closer you get to any draft, the more things change when mock draft specialists are making their final adjustments based on free agency, trades, pro-day evaluations, and more.

So, with one week to go until the first round of the NFL draft (next Thursday night), where do the mock draft gurus have Parsons going? Let’s take a look.

Penn State’s Micah Parsons a polarizing Cowboys prospect with highest of ceilings

Micah Parsons was arguably the best defensive player in 2019 and now that he is in the draft how does he fit with the Cowboys?

With the way Jaylon Smith played last season and the injury history of Leighton Vander Esch, there have been calls to reshuffle the linebacker room for the Dallas Cowboys. The talent in this class will likely create some discussion about heading that route at some point, potentially early, in the draft. It is not the most immediate need and with the money Smith is making right now it seems relatively unlikely. However, it should be noted the Cowboys are not afraid to go the best-player-available route and may ignore which positions are the most pressing need at No. 10.

Penn State’s Micah Parsons is easily one of the most physically talented linebackers to come into the NFL recently and though he opted out of the 2020 season is still one of the most intriguing prospects in the class. Here’s how he could fit with the Cowboys if they do look at a linebacker in Round 1.

NFL Mock Draft: What Penn State players were drafted in 3 rounds between Kiper and McShay?

Mel Kiper and Todd McShay exchanged draft picks for three rounds in a mock draft experiment, and Kiper came away with three Nittany Lions.

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It seems a new mock draft is coming out every day, which tells us we are on the brink of this year’s NFL draft. By now you are probably pretty familiar with the top three names on the big board representing Penn State, but it seems a slightly different opinion on where each will go can be found on a daily basis.

This week saw ESPN’s top two draft analysts, Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, go head-to-head in a one-on-one mock draft with the two veterans in the industry going back and forth making draft picks for every NFL team for three full rounds. What makes this approach to a mock draft different is the picks can be directly impacted by the other “GM” making picks that could alter how the other analysts has been breaking down the draft.

In three full rounds of this mock draft exchange, three Penn State players were selected. Here’s where they landed.

WATCH: Preview Micah Parsons on ‘Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL’

Micah Parsons takes ESPN2 on a tour of Penn State’s football facilities in a clip from “Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL.”

Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is expected to be a virtual lock to be chosen in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and he’s getting a bit of a national spotlight on him tonight.

Parsons will be featured on tonight’s episode of “Hey Rookie, Welcome to the NFL” on ESPN2. The show chronicles the journey to the NFL for a handful of the top rookies coming out of college.

In this preview clip of the episode provided by ESPN2, and shared by Penn State football’s official Twitter account, shows Parsons walking through the football building and explaining the significance of the All-American wall (where Parsons is highlighted alongside Saquon Barkley) and the records showcased in the weight room. Much to the dismay of Parsons, he realizes one of his records has fallen since he left the program to opt-out of the 2020 season.

The footage appears to have been filmed the day prior to Penn State’s pro day, judging by Parsons saying what he wants his 40 speed to be the next day. Parsons put on a heck of a show in the Penn State football pro day, as did teammate Jayson Oweh.

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

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