We are going to take a look at Penn State Nittany Lions LB Micah Parsons. Parsons has the size for the position being 6’3” 245lbs. Additionally, looking at the tape, he has amazing movement skills. Many compare his game to that of Luke Kuechly. Parsons is a player that Mike Mayock would have deemed a Size-Weight-Speed demon!
Pros:
As mentioned in the introduction, Parsons has great size and mesh that with great movement skills, it’s clear to see why he is a clear-cut favorite as the number one linebacker in this year’s class. Parsons is a complete linebacker; he is willing to play the run and can make a solid impact in the pass defense. Parsons plays sideline to sideline, that is evident in his 2019 campaign where he recorded over 100 tackles, five of which were sacks. However, make no mistake, just because Parsons is athletic doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have power to his game. There are numerous occasions where Parsons was able to shed a few blocks en route to the ball carrier.
Cons:
While Parsons is a very athletic linebacker and is a difference maker in coverage. He does struggle in man coverage situations. Specifically, when matched up one on one with running backs. I feel confidently in Parsons ability one on one with a TE. However, his best film from a pure pass coverage standpoint has been zone coverage. A team that plays a lot of zone (specifically Tampa Two) will love his coverage ability.
Bottom Line:
To conclude, Parsons will likely be the first LB off of the board. The only other LB that can be seen as a threat to Parsons is Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah who has been shooting up draft boards every single week. In short, you are getting a three down, complete LB in Parsons. Sideline to sideline, tackling machine. 
