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The 2021 NFL Draft is just a couple of days away, and we will finally learn the fate of the players we have been discussing for months now. There are plenty of storylines to dig into such as what the San Francisco 49ers will do at No. 3 overall, which teams trade up to take quarterbacks and where some of the top playmakers go. One of the most interesting storylines to follow this week has to do with a defensive player, however, and that's former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.

Parsons is a legitimate top talent in this loaded draft class, but pundits now have him falling to the end of the first round in their mock drafts. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein reports this is due to "character concerns," but how legitimate these worries are is certainly up for debate, and Parsons will make one team very happy if he does suffer a fall on draft night. Our four CBS NFL Draft writers are divided when it comes to where Parsons could fall in the draft, as Pete Prisco has him going as high as No. 9 overall to the Denver Broncos, while Ryan Wilson has Parsons falling to No. 26 overall, where the Cleveland Browns reside.

A star in the making 

Parsons is an enticing prospect because of his athletic profile and how quickly he took over at the collegiate level. The five-star linebacker/pass-rusher out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, finished his first season as a Nittany Lion with a team-high 83 tackles, becoming the first freshman in program history to lead Penn State in tackles in a season, according to their official website. Parsons didn't come close to having a sophomore slump either, as he was named the Butkus-Fitzgerald linebacker of the Year, was a consensus All-American and First Team All-Big Ten after racking up 109 total tackles, 14 for loss and five sacks to go along with five passes defensed and four forced fumbles. Recently, Parsons sat down with CBS Sports to discuss the draft process and his future at the next level. He says that the past few months have been hectic, but that opting out did help him focus in on what will be the next chapter of his career. 

"You know, I believe in no regrets and I wouldn't say it was a horrible decision, but I felt like it was the best decision for me and my family and moving forward I thought it was the best decision for myself and my career," Parsons said. "These past eight months have been nothing but me getting better, training my butt off every day and pushing myself every day."

While Parsons' ability to fly through offensive linemen with his elite burst and take down ball carriers for big losses is what stands out on film, what may make him a sure thing at the NFL level is his football IQ. Parsons seems to always know where the play is going and has a seemingly natural process for breaking into the backfield. No matter if it's chasing running backs trying to reach the sideline to get upfield or applying pressure in B-gap, Parsons knows how to make an impression on those unfortunate enough to be carrying the ball against him. Parsons confirmed what we thought by saying his greatest strength was his football IQ, which seems to perfectly pair with his want to play fast. He even has some NFL comparisons in mind when it comes to who he could be at the next level. 

"I would say Tremaine Edmunds, Devin White, Devin Bush, but also I would say I have some abilities like T.J. Watt," Parsons responded when asked whom he would compare himself to.

Parsons has the potential to be the NFL's next star linebacker, and that's because of how seriously he takes his game. He also linked up with USAA, Official NFL Salute to Service Partner, to offer fans an inside look at how his military-inspired upbringing helped him prepare for success in life on and off the football field ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft. 

"I would say my commitment, my respect, my work ethic, my positive attitude, always keeping my chin high, always staying grounded -- everywhere including in football," Parsons responded when asked about how his upbringing inspired him. "All those lessons, just committed myself every day to working out, commit myself every day to getting better, always standing tall when things can't go bad."

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A potential 'weakness'

While Parsons impressed during his two seasons in Happy Valley, the transition to the NFL is one that can affect people differently. It's difficult to pick out a weakness in Parsons' game, but some have tried to criticize his play in coverage. Parsons is an elite run-stopper, but doesn't have that same experience in coverage. It's more of a "lack of experience" issue instead of a legitimate weakness, but Parsons only has five career pass breakups and no interceptions with a few drops. We asked Parsons about this part of his game, and he said that while he wasn't known for his prowess as a pass defender at Penn State, he's more than capable of stepping up against tight ends and running backs at the next level. 

"You know I feel like I can man-up anybody," said Parsons. "I was manning-up Pat Freiermuth every day, some other really good tight ends at Penn State. You know we had great backs like Miles Sanders my freshman year, I had Journey Brown, Ricky Slade, Devin Ford, Noah Cain so to say that I can't do it, is a reach. But you can't say that I can't do it if you've never seen me do it, I just didn't do it a lot. If you watch the film, I was always the traveling linebacker, so why would I travel if I can't do coverage? I think a lot of people who say this, don't really understand film or really watch film.

"I wouldn't even say it's really a weakness. I'd say it's something I can improve on and get better at like anything else but you know I believe I'm well and beyond capable of doing it."

This is also something CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso has identified as a hole in Parsons' game, and pointed to the fact that several first-round linebackers struggled having to play so much in pass coverage once they entered the league. Still, this is a part of his game where Parsons thinks he can prove people wrong immediately, and does not see as a legitimate "weakness."

The draft position question

The draft process can be tough when it comes to teams trying to pick you apart as a person and a prospect. Parsons is no longer worried about what other people think, and isn't concerned whether he falls in the first round or not. 

"You know, the more I think about it, it really wouldn't faze me," said Parsons when asked about the possibility of not hearing his name early in the draft. "Just to even get drafted is an amazing honor and will be an unbelievable feeling for me regardless of where I go or where I was selected. Just to be known as one of the best football players in the world and being able to go up to the NFL, one of the greatest organizations in America, it's just an extreme honor for me and my family."

Parsons wants NFL teams considering him with their first pick to know that he's going to enter the league as a hard worker and that he can be instrumental in changing the culture of a franchise. 

"I want them to know that I'm a person that is going to come in and work your butt off every day, come in with the right mindset, challenge to be a star, challenge to be an All-Pro player and hopefully one day I hope to gain their impression as someone who is going to push everyone and really, really try to change the culture, win games and win Super Bowls. That's what it's all about."