The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most popular teams in the National Football League.
However, they haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1995 and have struggled to keep up with other powerhouses in the NFC over the past couple of decades.
And, even though they’ve had plenty of stars during that span, they lacked a generational player that could turn the franchise around once and for all.
Now, they’ve finally found one in Micah Parsons, one of the most impactful defensive players we’ve seen in years. But, what makes him so good? And where did he come from? Let’s break it down.
Micah Parsons: College Stats And Draft Combine
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Micah Parsons was a five-star recruit in high school before committing to play for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
In two seasons, he logged 191 total tackles (99 solo), 6.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 6 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovered.
He decided to forgo the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic but that didn’t hurt his draft stock the slightest.
Parsons finished the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds and showcased a 34.0 in vertical with a broad jump of 10 ft 6 in.
Micah Parsons Scouting Report: What Makes Him So Special?
Scouts were always enamored with Parsons’ versatility.
His ability to play as both an EDGE rusher and an interior linebacker makes him one of the most dynamic defensive players in the world, and it was perhaps the biggest reason why he was taken as high as 12th despite missing an entire college football season.
"While he played most of his snaps at Penn State as an outside linebacker, his skill set will likely lead him to playing an inside linebacker or "Mike" linebacker role at the next level because of his downhill ability outweighing his sideline-to-sideline ability," read his scouting report.
Micah Parsons Contract Breakdown: How Much Does He Make?
It didn’t take long before Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys reached a very lucrative agreement for his rookie contract.
The 22-year-old star signed a 4 year, fully-guaranteed $ 17,079,793 deal including a $ 9,781,668 signing bonus. He’ll carry a cap hit of $ 3,105,417.
Parsons will make an average of $ 4,269,948 per year before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2026. He also has a contract option for the fifth year of his deal.
That translates to roughly $ 250,000 per game over a 17-game regular season.
Micah Parsons: A Rookie Defensive Player Of The Year?
Parsons’ immediate impact didn’t go unnoticed by the media, the fans, and even oddsmakers.
Right now, number 11 is leading the race to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year with odds of -10000, per Sportrac.
But more than that, he’s also second in odds for Defensive Player of the Year (+350 odds), trailing just T.J. Watt (+150 odds) in that regard.
Watt is currently dealing with an injury and Parsons has three more weeks to snatch that first place and become the first player to win this award as a rookie since Lawrence Taylor.
]]>The Inquisitr
