Cowboys fans all know how great Micah Parsons is. But I thought it would be interesting to look at how great he is in context of his ability to play effectively in every area of what the defense must do. In that sense he’s a “shape shifter”.
Here are just a few of his current impressive statistical numbers through 11 games:
- Is 2nd in the league in sacks with 12.
- Tied for 4th in Tackles for Loss (TFL) with 13.
- Tied for 2nd in forced fumbles with 3.
But what makes Micah Parsons’ greatness stand out is not just a stat. It’s his ability to be a true defensive “shape shifter”; a hybrid of talent that can handle all 3 aspects of defense- pass rush, tackling, and pass coverage. He excels in all three.
Parsons can be the game’s best pass rusher, then shift into the best coverage LB in the league. (Parsons routinely covers RBs, TEs and occasionally a WR), and we have seen his incredible speed as he runs down a player and tackles him from behind after rushing the passer. He can rush the passer, tackle, and provide pass coverage, all at a very high level.
Dan Quinn said a few months back that Micah Parsons is the only NFL defensive player he’s ever seen or coached that could play any position on defense.
Which made me think- the only player I’ve seen in NFL history with the ability to do anything on defense he wanted is Lawrence Taylor. If Micah takes care of himself and can stay healthy, he’s not only headed to Canton, he has the ability to surpass even LT as the greatest defensive player to ever lace em up.
This is greatness that comes along rarely.
