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All aboard the Micah Parsons Heisman bandwagon: Penn State LB might be best at LBU

By Travis Mueller

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 28: Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Micah Parsons (11) celebrates after a sack during the Cotton Bowl Classic college football game against the Memphis Tigers on December 28, 2019 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 28: Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Micah Parsons (11) celebrates after a sack during the Cotton Bowl Classic college football game against the Memphis Tigers on December 28, 2019 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Could Micah Parsons be Linebacker U’s first Heisman Trophy winner?

Penn State football’s Micah Parsons left no doubt in 2019 the title “Linebacker U” remains with the Nittany Lions.

Many of the great Penn State linebackers donned No. 11, LaVar Arrington, Navarro Bowman and Brandon Bell among them. Other great linebackers have come out of the program in its history but could Micah Parsons be the best out of all of them? Could Parsons even win the Heisman Trophy and become the best linebacker of all time?

Micah Parsons would be a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft if he was eligible. The fact that he is coming back to play next year will keep Big Ten offensive coordinators up at night, give them grey hair and whatever other clichés you can think of.

Chase Young is likely headed to the NFL Draft where he’ll be a top-two pick so that leaves Parsons as the Big Ten’s most valuable returning defensive player.

It might be bold to say that he is the best linebacker of all time right now, but defensive players are finally getting appreciation in the Heisman race and rightfully so.

Without a doubt, Parsons will be on everyone’s preseason All-America teams next season but after a Cotton Bowl performance which included 14 tackles, seven solo tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, he made a solid case that he should be in the running for the Heisman Trophy in 2020 along with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields

Parsons made some noise early in the game, killing Memphis’ first drive with this big hit:

At a time when the game was still in doubt and the Penn State offense turned the ball over on downs, Parsons came up big on this play which all but iced the game for the Nittany Lions.

https://twitter.com/ESPNCFB/status/1211018216136433664

Not content with one sack, Parsons came up big with this sack when Memphis was threatening:

https://twitter.com/NFL_ChrisReiss/status/1211017483211169793

Micah Parsons will be in good hands this offseason. Penn State strength coach Dwight Galt has a proven history of turning boys into men and it looks like defensive coordinator Brent Pry will be back on the sidelines.

But most of all, after a well-deserved extension, James Franklin will still be showing Parsons how it’s done:

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1211028347372941320

I mean, just look at that form. Sheesh.

The Cotton Bowl was Penn State football’s official launch party for the 2020 Micah Parsons Heisman Campaign.

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