5 players Patriots should draft in the first round

3. Micah Parsons

Parsons’ landing spot in Round 1 is still very difficult to project at this point in the pre-draft process. There’s little question he’s the most complete linebacker prospect in this class, but finding a home for him in the first round is still challenging.

It’s easy to envision a scenario where New England decides to stop his modest draft day slide. He’s a rare college linebacker in that he already understands how to create pressure from the second level via the blitz. That could help the Patriots stop the dangerous passing attacks they’ll face during the 2021 season.

The downside to Parsons is that he’s not quite a finished product as a linebacker. Opting out of the 2020 season for Penn State didn’t do anything to help add polish to his game. It might take him some significant time with NFL coaches to truly understand the intricacies of manning the position in the pros.

If Belichick falls in love with Parsons’ tape then there’s zero chance he falls past the Patriots at No. 15. Linebacker isn’t this team’s most pressing need, but Parsons has enough star potential to justify being a Round 1 selection.