Getty Micah Parsons tackles a Wisconsin player.
Grading draft prospects can be a major challenge, but it’s one that several analysts don’t take lightly. With this in mind, the Detroit Lions will have tons of information to weigh as it relates to the players they will be interested in scouting the heaviest.
It seems everyone has their own opinion about one of the most polarizing players in the class in Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons. While some call Parsons the most talented linebacker prospect since Luke Kuechly, others aren’t sure he is even worth the seventh pick of the draft, which is a choice Detroit will likely have to weigh.
On a recent conference call, Mel Kiper said that he believes Parsons isn’t worth the seventh pick in the draft.
Mel Kiper: If the Lions stay at 7, they should look at WR over defense. Kiper said 7 is too high for Micah Parsons.
In a mock draft, Kiper had the Lions trading back to the 12 spot and landing Parsons, so obviously, he believes the linebacker still warrants being selected in the upper-half of this draft. It’s true that there are a ton of questions to answer about Parsons, from his off-field behavior to the fact that he has not played in a year.
These questions could push him down the board if they end up being valid for the Lions.
Other Analysts Disagree With Micah Parsons Rejection
Not everyone is convinced that Parsons isn’t worth it with a high pick for the Lions. Mock drafts are heating up, and it seems that everybody is starting to have a take on what the Lions should do when they pick. From trades to different picks, there’s been an array of differing opinions on what will happen when all is said and done.
A new mock has come to the forefront from an experienced former general manager has a lot to say about what the team should be doing when all is said and done. In his first mock draft, Charley Casserly had the Lions picking up Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons. Additionally, he made a bold claim about Parsons, who he called the best player in the draft on defense.
He wrote:
“The Lions are in desperate need of talent throughout the roster. They take the best defensive player in the draft here — if they don’t trade back.”
Detroit might also trade back and still be able to land Parsons, so theoretically the team could have their cake and eat it too with the linebacker. That should be their goal for the future with Parsons if they really do like him, anyway.
That’s something some people see already.
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Micah Parsons Stats and Highlights
Parsons figures to be in-play for the draft within the top 10 when the Lions pick, and the former Penn State linebacker figures to be a player that the team considers strongly thanks to their need not only on defense, but in the spot he plays. In college, Parsons was special, racking up 191 total tackles, 6.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles. The numbers would have been even better had Parsons not sat out the 2020 season, but it’s clear he is going to be one of the top picks in the draft as these clips show.
If Parsons is the pick, it will be fascinating to see where the Lions or someone else takes him.