R1 Grade: B-

[CATCH17]

I feel like this is deja vu with LVE and Jaylon all over again, more specifically LVE.

“We got the best LB’er in the draft, what a steal. He’s going to beast out, we’re finally going to have a legit LB’er. He’s not like any LB’er we’ve ever had, he’s much better. We’re so good at drafting”.

If Jerry was as near as good at drafting as some say and if LVE was all that like fans said after we drafted him, we probably wouldn’t have just drafted another LB’er.

Time will tell but we can pretend to be paper champs for another 5-6 months.

LVE was incredible his rookie year and has rare traits to defend the pass. He just needs to stay healthy.

 

[jterrell]

So in your opinion what is it you think they should have done ?

I think they did "good business".
C is average.
B- is slightly above average.

I think they ignored noise and let draft happen up to pick 10 then reacted fantastically with the trade down.
An A grade is going to mean getting lucky and stars aligning.

There is some risk with this player because in college he didn't play a real off ball LB role much.
But his ceiling is All Pro.

I'm not trying to bag on them by any means.

 

[jterrell]

You can write Parsons in as a starter in ink right now. Nobody on the roster has his physicals, for one, seriously doubt Smith can run a 4.39 now, and he and LVE are also starters.

And Jerry loves flash, look for Parsons to be the main blitzer on the defense....

How do you line up on play 1?

 

[LACowboysFan1]

How do you line up on play 1?

That depends on Quinn's view of things, he just got here, tbd. But I'm thinking at Will...

 

[Aikmaniac]

My guess is this will be one of the more generous day 1 grades.
Most fans were aghast at selecting LB R1.

I'm really confused. Every area of this defense is in need of an upgrade (save Lawrence I guess), so why not take the best defensive player available?

 

[RoyTheHammer]

This is lazy.

The opinion of “well we suck at defense so I’m glad we took defense.”

So many things wrong with that.

I'm sorry I didn't take the time to provide all the reasons I think he's a good pick for ya bud. You must feel so unsatisfied.

 

[jterrell]

That depends on Quinn's view of things, he just got here, tbd. But I'm thinking at Will...

Yea, I am little hesitant to call him a starter day 1 as a fully healthy LVE is pretty darn good.
And if you play nickel like most teams do it might mean a bit of a ramp up for Parsons where he doesn't really star until LVE gets that first ding.
But he is certainly going to play a lot and I can see him getting some 3rd down blitz action for sure game 1.

 

[jterrell]

I'm really confused. Every area of this defense is in need of an upgrade (save Lawrence I guess), so why not take the best defensive player available?

I think most people grade LB positionally below CB or DE. Some below S or DT.
Dallas clearly does NOT grade LB below safety or DT.

There are those that feel off ball LB R1 is bad regardless of player.
I am not willing to go that far but will say it is definitely not my first preference.

 

[aria]

LVE was incredible his rookie year and has rare traits to defend the pass. He just needs to stay healthy.

He was great his rookie year but he had red flags and concerns which is why he dropped. Sounds very familiar.

I’m also not 100% convinced his decline was all due to injuries. Initially that’s what we all suspected but after surgery he said he felt better than ever and still sucked. I dunno, weird, but that’s why you don’t chances on players in high rounds. Jerry will never learn.

 

[Brooksey]

How are they different?

Jaylon is slow to diagnose plays which makes it hard for him to navigate through traffic and make plays in the backfield (non blitzes), he makes them 5-7 yards downfield. Parsons excels here watch the tape at 1:42, Jaylon can't make that play, he's fast enough but he can't read the flow fast enough. Jaylon can't make the play at 2:42. Jaylon would never attempt to stack a 300lb tackle like Parsons does at the 3:20 mark, instead Jaylon side steps blocks and gets flushed out of the play far too often.

They're similar off the edge blitzing, both are good.

 

[Aikmaniac]

I think most people grade LB positionally below CB or DE. Some below S or DT.
Dallas clearly does NOT grade LB below safety or DT.

There are those that feel off ball LB R1 is bad regardless of player.
I am not willing to go that far but will say it is definitely not my first preference.

Makes sense. Unfortunately both of those CBs were gone as you have acknowledged earlier. I agree with Dallas not trading away their picks to move up though. Lord knows they need every one of them. LB play was below average just like the defense as a whole as we all know. Should be a fun second day!

 

[RS12]

I don't get too excited over draft grades one way or another but I don't see B minus for this pick. Reason being B minus is in the middle and I think this pick will end up being either real good or real bad not somewhere in between. If Parsons is put in a position to succeed and stays healthy, he will be as good as he wants to be.

 

[Sydla]

Team does not have two Jaylon's...Jaylon can not do what Parson's does. Jaylon does not take on blocks, shed them and make tackles, he side steps them.Jaylon can't read and diagnose the run in heavy traffic and make plays in the backfield like Parsons. Two very, very different players. Parsons very good in coverage.
The comparison is incorrect with all due respect sir

Parsons wasn't asked to do much in coverage at PSU, so this is a guess/projection. It's not a fact.

 

[jterrell]

Jaylon is slow to diagnose plays which makes it hard for him to navigate through traffic and make plays in the backfield (non blitzes), he makes them 5-7 yards downfield. Parsons excels here watch the tape at 1:42, Jaylon can't make that play, he's fast enough but he can't read the flow fast enough. Jaylon can't make the play at 2:42. Jaylon would never attempt to stack a 300lb tackle like Parsons does at the 3:20 mark, instead Jaylon side steps blocks and gets flushed out of the play far too often.

They're similar off the edge blitzing, both are good.

Tape versus collegiate guys is very different than tape versus pros.
Parsons has the same issues as Jaylon, I promise you.
He is a bit slow to diagnose plays and he doesn't really stack and shed.
He runs really fast to what his eyes see first.

Parsons is raw right now but he has an amazing ceiling.
He will need to be coached up in a scheme and you certainly hope he is a very different type player of Jaylon in year 5 but they are very similar right now in strengths and weaknesses.
Micah is going to be in a VERY new defense next year after a full year out of football.
He may well look a lot like Jaylon did last year.
OR Quinn will be a far better coach than Nolan was (not hard) and they will simply the game for Micah and let him attack with one read/key max.

 

[Cowpolk]

Sound advice:
Ignore all the networks giving out draft grades immediately after the draft
Especially ignore guys sitting on their coach at home giving out draft grades at any time.

A +

 

[starfan1]

I don't think there was a big split.
There are polls on this forum showing a preference for a CB in the 70% range.
Doesn't mean the fans aren't wrong.
And Parsons having a Jayton like game doesn't mean he sucks. --I might be Jaylon's biggest supporter on these forums and I love LB play/defense from my own playing days.

I thought my takes here were very balanced.
I LOVED the trade down and DAL probably came out better than I would have because I would have simply taken Slater at 10.

But "MY" A options were Surtain/Horn/Sewell.

and I respect that especially sewell. my A options were the LB position so for a change I got what i wanted. I still sting from 2016 pick 4 that I literally still hate

 

[Walker]

The guy was taken way too high, too bad we couldn't make a deal with the bears then just package a 3rd or 4th and you could have still have had this LB + an extra 1st next year.

 

[starfan1]

Tape versus collegiate guys is very different than tape versus pros.
Parsons has the same issues as Jaylon, I promise you.
He is a bit slow to diagnose plays and he doesn't really stack and shed.
He runs really fast to what his eyes see first.

Parsons is raw right now but he has an amazing ceiling.
He will need to be coached up in a scheme and you certainly hope he is a very different type player of Jaylon in year 5 but they are very similar right now in strengths and weaknesses.
Micah is going to be in a VERY new defense next year after a full year out of football.
He may well look a lot like Jaylon did last year.
OR Quinn will be a far better coach than Nolan was (not hard) and they will simply the game for Micah and let him attack with one read/key max.

hes got 2 good legs thats a plus

 

[jterrell]

I don't get too excited over draft grades one way or another but I don't see B minus for this pick. Reason being B minus is in the middle and I think this pick will end up being either real good or real bad not somewhere in between. If Parsons is put in a position to succeed and stays healthy, he will be as good as he wants to be.

Had they sat at 10 and made this pick I would have given them a C-.
Boom or bust pick to me and unless LVE is injured(likely but not certain) I can't swear Parsons starts year 1.
Last two offball R1 LB picks were LVE and Bobby Carpenter and thus it;s fair to think OMG not another off ball LB.
All while others say "shut up, Quinn didn't draft those losers but he did coach up Wagner and others in SEA".

I gave them a letter bump for the trade which netted pick 84, a real win in trade value.

 

[CATCH17]

Jaylon is slow to diagnose plays which makes it hard for him to navigate through traffic and make plays in the backfield (non blitzes), he makes them 5-7 yards downfield. Parsons excels here watch the tape at 1:42, Jaylon can't make that play, he's fast enough but he can't read the flow fast enough. Jaylon can't make the play at 2:42. Jaylon would never attempt to stack a 300lb tackle like Parsons does at the 3:20 mark, instead Jaylon side steps blocks and gets flushed out of the play far too often.

They're similar off the edge blitzing, both are good.

Sorry bud.. Play diagnosis isn’t a strength of Parsons.

He may be good at it someday but today is not that day.

A lot of Parsons being worth this pick is having to take a leap of faith which Cowboys homers will be glad to do.

He could be incredible but you don’t draft a linebacker with his character concerns and question marks on the field.