Las Vegas Raiders: 7-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft after first free agency wave
Micah Parsons. 17. player. 806. . Linebacker. Nittany Lions
Las Vegas Raiders: 7-round 2021 NFL Mock Draft after first free agency wave
Micah Parsons is a bit of an enigma as a player as he initially was a defensive end at Penn State before he switched full time to linebacker before his first game in 2018. He was a solid player as a freshman, racking up 82 tackles and 1.5 sacks but exploded as a sophomore with 109 tackles, five passes defended, five sacks, and four forced fumbles.
He was all over the field for the Nittany Lions and could have been one of the top linebackers selected after his sophomore season but of course, had one more year before being eligible for the draft. Due to COVID-19, Parsons chose to opt-out of the 2020 season and decided to stick with that decision even after the Big 10 announced it would play a shortened season.
This decision saved some wear and tear on Parsons’ body and could be the right decision for him in the long term as it did not hurt his draft stock. Parsons measures in at 6’3″, 245lbs and is expected to test off the charts in Penn State’s pro day on March 25. He is a bit inexperienced in coverage which could be a short-term problem that the Raiders will hope to address but with their current trio, they could bring him along slowly.
Parsons would certainly be a pick for the future but he has the athleticism and talent to make a splash right away whenever he is on the field. Linebacker is not exactly a position of need but the Raiders can take a swing at the best player available and if Parsons is there at 17 they should snatch him and his massive potential up.