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Despite being a first-round selection by the Dallas Cowboys earlier this year, linebacker Micah Parsons is undoubtedly the steal of the NFL Draft. And it appears he is poised to win the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award after leading his team to a divisional championship in only his first season.
According to Pro Football Reference, the 22-year old Parsons has racked up 79 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks and three forced fumbles in 15 games. With two games left to be players, Micah’s just 1.5 sacks away from tying the NFL’s rookie record for most sacks in a season by a rookie, which is currently held by former Tennessee Titan’s defensive end, Jevon Kearse, set back in 1999.
With their eyes set on two cornerbacks heading into the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cowboys seemingly settled for Parsons in the first round after seeing both South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn and Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II drafted right before their selection at No. 10 overall. The Cowboys surprisingly made a trade with their divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, falling back two selections and picking up Parsons with the 12th overall pick.
The Cowboys having a superstar fall into their laps isn’t a new phenomenon in Dallas. The last time something like this happened to America’s Team was in 2016. Despite several efforts to make trade for other college passers, the Cowboys used their second fourth round selection on a Mississippi State quarterback named Dak Prescott. The late rounder rookie would go on to start all 16 regular season games for Dallas that year, leading the team to a 13-3 record, a first-round bye in the playoffs, and winning himself the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
