“Don’t let pro day numbers confuse y’all from what actually happens between them lines!”: Penn State LB Micah Parsons Speaks Downplays the Importance of Pro Days

Penn State LB Micah Parsons had a successful Pro Day, but that doesn’t translate to success in the league according to him.

The factors that don’t show up in a combine workout or Pro Day tend to more telling of a prospect’s potential impact in the NFL: the intangibles.

40 yard dashes, vertical jumps, and broad jumps can all give scouts a general clue of a player’s athleticism, however do good measurements equal good on-field performance.

According to Micah Parsons, absolutely not. In his own words, “Don’t let pro day numbers confuse y’all from what actually happens on between them lines!”

You might expect a comment like that to come from someone who underperformed at their Pro Day, but this is quite the opposite. Parsons ran a 4.39u 40 yard dash, and solidified his spot and one of the top defensive prospects.

Most mock drafts have him coming off the board before the 15th overall pick, and some even project him to be the first defensive player taken.

Also read: “I don’t know if my future is in my hands”: Aaron Rodgers weighs on his future as a Green Bay Packer.

Micah Parsons on Character Concerns: “I’m not going to let it control or dictate the person I am now.”

There’s no question about Micah’s ability on the field. As a Nittany Lion, he recorded 6.5 sacks, 191 total tackles, 6 forced fumbles, and 5 pass breakups in 26 games.

The concern, however, lies in the alleged character problems. Specifically, Parsons was named in a lawsuit against Penn State after getting into a fight with a teammate.

Months after the incident, Parsons spoke on the issue after his Pro Day. “Obviously, people had some concerns about things that had happened,” he said.

“But at the end of the day, I was a kid. I was 17-18. We all made mistakes when we were 17-18. I’m not going to let it control or dictate the person I am now.

“I’m not going to let something that happened four years ago dictate who I’m becoming and the father I want to be. I just feel I’m the most versatile player in this class,” he added. “I can play middle linebacker, I can play outside and I can pass rush. There’s no place I can’t play and utilize my skills.”

“My versatility is going to come in handy. I played D-end pretty much my whole life. So rushing the passer has never been a problem. First and second down, I can go sideline to sideline. Third down, I can go get the quarterback. So I think I’ll be walking into a great position.”