1. Micah Parsons, Defensive end
Few players in the 2018 recruiting class received higher evaluation grades than Shorter, and only one of them signed with Penn State: defensive end Micah Parsons. Though he isn’t built like a future No. 1 overall draft pick, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Parsons is a consensus five-star prospect, ranked No. 4 overall in the 247Sports Composite. Parsons is the No. 1 weak-side defensive end prospect in the country, and also the No. 1 player from the state of Pennsylvania.
Just about every team in the country wanted Parsons, and he chose to stay home after making visits to Ohio State, Georgia, Oklahoma and Nebraska, with the Bulldogs being the biggest competition for the elite pass rush prospect. The U.S. Army All-American explodes off the line of scrimmage with great acceleration and has the ability to blow past less athletic offensive tackles on the edge.
Because he is slightly undersized, and also has elite athleticism for a defensive lineman (he has been clocked in the sub-4.7-second range in the 40), Parsons could move into the linebacker corps. However, Parsons isn’t exclusively a speed rusher: he also has strength and toughness, and if he adds strength and bulks up in college, he could also have success at his natural position.
Next: Way-Too-Early Top 25: Penn State No. 3
In either instance, Parsons has the talent to be a special player, and he should have an opportunity to push for early playing time. An early enrollee already on campus for spring, Parsons will compete with returning defensive end starters Shareef Miller and Ryan Buchholz for reps, but weakside linebacker Brandon Smith and leading tackler Jason Cabinda are gone – opening holes at linebacker.