Penn State LB Micah Parsons to opt out of season, declare for 2021 NFL Draft
By John Buhler
Micah Parsons has reportedly played his last snap for Penn State football.
Penn State football will reportedly lose its best player in Micah Parsons to the 2021 NFL Draft.
According to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports, “Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons is expected to opt out of the 2020 college football season and declare for the 2021 NFL Draft. Parsons is expected to make the decision official Wednesday morning. Penn State had a team meeting Tuesday night, and multiple people close to the program are expecting him to leave barring a last-minute change of heart.”
Parsons is projected to be a top-10, maybe even a top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was essentially a lock to win the Dick Butkus Award at LBU for Penn State in his true junior season. However, he has decided that it’s not worth it for him to play for the Nittany Lions this fall. While we must respect his choice, this is a tough break for Penn State’s Big Ten title hopes.
Penn State will have to pick up the pieces after Micah Parsons’ departure
The Nittany Lions were expected to be the most formidable challenger to the Ohio State Buckeyes in Big Ten play this season. Assuming we still get a football season, Penn State will host Ohio State at Beaver Stadium this fall. While fans may not be in attendance, that home date gives the Nittany Lions a great shot at getting to Indianapolis and reaching the College Football Playoff.
Penn State is one of a handful of teams who can make it into the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. However, losing its best pro prospect in Parsons certainly puts a damper on the Nittany Lions’ upward trajectory. If Penn State were to win the Big Ten and get in, it will take the greatest coaching job of James Franklin’s Happy Valley tenure.
By declaring early, the next uniform Parsons will wear on the field will be that of an NFL team.
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