A ranking places Micah Parsons as the best linebacker in the NFL

It’s no secret to anyone that one of the big news of the 2021 campaign has been linebacker Micah Parsons. It’s true that he wasn’t the first choice in the Draft for the Cowboys that year. However, he has made fans very happy that the Joneses have decided to go with the young man from Penn State.

Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence and Trevon Diggs on cover of Cowboys’ 2022 media guide. Training camp in Oxnard less than four weeks away. pic.twitter.com/NMD3ENoaIz

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) June 29, 2022

In fact, one of the things that draws widespread attention is that CBS Sports has ranked him as the number one linebacker in the NFL. A news that catches many by surprise. Since Bobby Wagner, an LB who has been in the league for ten seasons, eight times being part of the Pro Bowl and champion of the Super Bowl in its XLVIII edition, he finished in second place.

For some, Wagner dropped his production a bit in 2021. But with all of this, he managed a combined 170 tackles, the most in his career so far. In addition, he reached a second place thanks to the high expectations that there are regarding him as a person thanks to having signed with the Rams.

Of course, all this counting has been done based on data from Pro Football Reference, as well as Pro Football Focus notes. So we’re not just talking about individual player stats, but other aspects of the game. This counting on the production that the defenders will have for the next campaign.

Likewise, it must be taken into consideration that elements such as TJ Watt, Von Miller or Joey Bosa were left out in this count. There is a reasonable explanation for this, and that is that CBS Sports took into account actual linebackers, not 3-4 pass rushers. And while Micah has been both a pass rusher and even a cornerback at times, his natural position is linebacker, with which he accomplished many of last season’s defensive goals.

“While Parsons proved to be an excellent pass rusher, some had questions regarding his coverage skills coming into the league,” they said from the count. “Parsons finished 12th among linebackers in 2021 with a PFF rating of 70 on 295 coverage snaps. If you go back and watch him play through his entire rookie season, you’ll see not only a talented pass rusher, but a good linebacker who can read the field and react quickly. A defender who can kill screen plays and take down anyone in the open.”

“Parsons is versatile, smart and instinctive,” they continued. “You don’t do what he did in his rookie season if he wasn’t a star.”

Of course, just look at his numbers at linebacker in 2021. Micah didn’t allow a single touchdown in 284 coverage snaps. Also, his 88.7 rating on Pro Football Focus made him the best among all linebackers in the NFL. And as if that were not enough, a 93.0 pass rushing rating, the best in the entire league.

Micah Parsons this season:

⭐️ 0 TDs allowed in coverage (284 snaps)

⭐️ 88.7 PFF Grade (1st among all LBs)

⭐️ 93.0 pass-rushing grade (Best in NFL) pic.twitter.com/Lq7G9IVzuU

— PFF (@PFF) January 5, 2022

Clearly, what is expected of the boy is that in his second year as a professional he continues to break all records. Micah himself admitted that 15 sacks should be the minimum for him in the 2022 campaign.

It should not be forgotten that he achieved 13 of them in his rookie campaign, taking into account that he was only fixed in four duels playing on the wings thanks to injuries to other teammates. Looking further at his production, most of the time he played linebacker. So, he’s a LB who can make an appearance at defensive end without issue if called upon.

for the folks who say Micah Parsons is an edge

there were four games where he played basically edge only because of injuries, and the rest of the games he was predominantly an off-ball linebacker

Micah Parsons is a linebacker who can play edge defender pic.twitter.com/rcjJlM00MS

— Eric Eager 📊🏈 (@PFF_Eric) June 19, 2022

Already with Parsons, it only remains to be seen his preparation in California for the regular season and to wait if he will have at least some snaps in the preseason duels. All with the aim of arriving in top form for Sunday night’s game against Tampa Bay in week 1. In any case, Micah has his goals clear in his second season as a professional, so a great display of skill is expected again. skills and high level.