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The Dallas Cowboys selected Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons with the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. During his collegiate career, Parsons amassed 191 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Despite foregoing his final season amid coronavirus concerns, the 22-year-old was still widely regarded as the best defensive player in the draft.
Micah Parsons will join a Cowboys linebacker core featuring Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith. Both had disappointing seasons last year that prompted Dallas to draft Micah Parsons.
Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will utilize Parsons as their point of attack and enforcer this upcoming season. Ten sacks is the benchmark for a good pass rusher, but registering ten sacks as a rookie is a rigorous task to accomplish.
Per Statmuse, only 35 players have managed to accomplish this feat in NFL history. Notable players such as Joey Bosa, Von Miller, Terell Suggs, Ndamukong Suh and Dwight Freeney are among those who have broken past this barrier.
Will Parsons join this impressive list? Recent history says no.
Micah Parsons against recent history
The performances of top defensive draft prospects in recent years show just how difficult it is to register ten sacks as a rookie.
In 2017, the Cleveland Browns selected Myles Garett with the first overall pick. He made massive contributions on defense during his rookie campaign but finished with only seven sacks.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected linebacker T.J. Watt with the 30th overall pick in 2017. He has been voted on multiple All-Pro teams and led the league in sacks a season ago with 15. But he accumulated only seven sacks in his first season with the Steel Curtain.
One of the best pass-rushing prospects in NFL draft history, Nick Bosa entered the league in 2019 as the second overall pick for the San Francisco 49ers. In his rookie season, Bosa registered 47 combined tackles and nine sacks.
The Washington Football Team selected Chase Young with the second over pick in the 2020 NFL draft and the defensive end had an awe-inspiring rookie season, tallying 44 combined tackles and 7.5 sacks.
As evidenced by the examples above, the transition from collegiate level to pros has proven to stagger the numbers of each of these prospects in their rookie season. Top defensive draft picks command more respect from opposing defenses and thus struggle to register ten sacks during their rookie season.
Will Parsons register ten sacks in his rookie season?
Micah Parsons is highly talented but will still have to adapt to the physicality of offensive lines in the NFL and get used to the complex defensive schemes that are the norm in the league. The rookie will have a season worthy of winning Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, neither he nor any other rookie will register double-digit sacks this year.
