Just days after we saw potential first round pick Rashod Bateman opt out of the 2020-21 college football season, our next domino has fallen. This time Penn State’s star linebacker, Micah Parsons, has decided to opt out this year to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
On Thursday Penn State Live dropped a video on their Youtube channel with Micah Parsons. The consensus All-American called it “the hardest decision I have ever had to make” in a video addressing his plans amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
He said while he feels completely safe with how Penn State has handled the coronavirus, and the precautions they are taking there, the risk for his son far outweighed those precautions.
Not only did he declare for the 2021 NFL Draft, but he also announced he will be graduating early and receiving his degree in December. Parsons is the best linebacker in college football and one of the best defenders in the country. He was projected by many to be a Top-5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Last season he truly did it all for Nittany Lions. He racked up 109 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and had four forced fumbles. That effort would earn him Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. Parsons also earned First Team All-American honors, First Team All-Big Ten honors and even the Defensive MVP in Penn State’s Cotton Bowl victory.
I have him ranked as the sixth best player in my Top-50 Big Board for the 2021 NFL Draft. In my Way-Too-Early 2021 NFL Mock Draft I had the Washington Football Team selecting him with the 5th overall pick. He not only fills a big need for the defense, but gives new head coach Ron Rivera his Luke Kuechly for his new defense.
