Raiders Draft Spotlight: Penn State Linebacker Micah Parsons

While the Las Vegas Raiders poured a lot of resources into the linebacker position last offseason, the defense still lacks star power. Luckily for them, there’s a real chance an elite defensive prospect falls to them at pick 17.  While he comes with some large question marks, Penn State’s Micah Parsons could totally change the Las Vegas defense.

Parsons elected to opt-out of the 2020 season but showed plenty in 2019. The first thing you notice about him on tape is how well he moves. He is incredibly fast, he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at Penn State’s Pro Day and moves fluidly in all aspects. Parsons is also a former pass rusher and it shows in his blitzing ability, he recorded five sacks in his 2019 season. A truly special talent, his overall athletic ability allows him to make plays most linebackers can not.

Micah Parsons would instantly upgrade the Raiders’ defense

Parsons is still relatively new to the linebacker position. While this shows up in his blitzing prowess it also shows up in his mental processing. He simply has not seen a lot of football through the eyes of a linebacker and needs to get fully acquainted with the position.

On the bright side, he is such a fantastic athlete that he is able to recover in most of these instances. These are not massive flaws as he can overcome these with practice and coaching. Certainly, wish we could have seen him play this season if only to gain the experience.