4 dream scenarios for Cleveland Browns in Round 1
By Greg Newland
1. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
There may be no more of a freak athlete in the 2021 draft than Penn State linebacker, Micah Parsons. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Parsons has the body of a defensive end and the athleticism and speed of some safeties in the league.
After playing defensive end in college, Penn State quickly moved Parsons to middle linebacker where he excelled quickly using this strength and athleticism. In three years with Penn State, Parsons accumulated 41.5 sacks and 64.5 tackles for loss. So many plays behind the line of scrimmage show what a nightmare matchup he can be.
Parsons is no doubt the number one linebacker prospect in the 2021 draft, but there are a few things that could help him fall to the Cleveland Browns.
One, he didn’t play in 2020 because of COVID-19. While it doesn’t mean he can’t play, teams just haven’t seen him, and you can forget.
Two, linebacker isn’t a position all teams are willing to reach on. While he is a top-15 talent, teams in that range are likely to go offensive tackle, cornerback, or quarterback.
What will kill the Browns chances? If Parsons partakes in the NFL combine and runs a ridiculous 40-yard dash while weighing in at or around 245 pounds. If that happens (which is likely), I’m not sure that he will make it out of the top-15.
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Landing Parson is a true “dream” scenario, but with additional picks in the third and fourth round of the 2021 draft, even if Parsons fell to the low 20s, the Browns should seriously consider trading up for him. Parsons is an elite talent in the middle of the defense who has the ability to cover the entire field.