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FOX’s Joel Klatt tabs Penn State LB Micah Parsons as top defenisve player in NFL Draft

Dustin Schutte

By Dustin Schutte

Published:

The NFL Draft has crept up quickly, as the premier offseason event will begin next Thursday.

Recently, FOX college football analyst Joel Klatt did a dive into some of the top defensive prospects available in this year’s draft, creating a Top 5 list. It’s no surprise that Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is on that list, topping the group at No. 1.

Parsons has been considered a first-round selection for the 2021 NFL Draft since the 2019 season came to an end. Despite opting out of the 2020 campaign, the former 5-star linebacker is still considered one of the most talented players in the draft class.

Klatt explained why he had Parsons listed at No. 1 in the video below:

“You just can’t coach it. He is physically so talented, his burst, his speed, his instincts on the field. He’s not even really a natural linebacker,” Klatt said. “This is a guy that I think is just going to have a fabulous career. He was a game-wrecker. The best defensive player in the B1G. [Penn State] surely missed him last year when he opted out. He’s a guy I think is going to have an excellent NFL career.”

In two seasons at Penn State, Parsons was credited with 191 tackles, 18 stops for loss, 6.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and 5 pass break-ups. Many believe the linebacker to be the first defensive player selected in the draft.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB