Mika Parsons has already broken the Dallas Cowboys rookie record for the most sacks with nine in a year. He will be looking to fund his account when Dallas faces the New Orleans Saints on the Sky Sports NFL live Thursday night.
Dallas Cowboys rookie Mick Parsons was under the responsibility of defensive line coach Aden Derde, perhaps more often than he and his team would have expected upon their arrival from the University of Pennsylvania.
Parsons was selected as a midfielder but has since embellished his off-ball duties at Level 2 by wreaking havoc as an on-line pass amid injuries to DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory. What do you know? He is natural in both.
In the era of floating, positionless football, he looked like a welcome model, not to mention the defensive leader of the year.
“He moves around a lot, he works with me, he works with Senior Defense Assistant George Edwards, he works with DQ (Defense Coordinator Dan Quinn),” Derde said.
“I think when I saw him at the mini rookie camp, I kind of realized that part of his game will be under our control, he can naturally speed up a striker and has athletic ability and definitely the ability to adapt and take on a lot. concepts and those things that allow him to move. He does a great job at his job. “
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Parsons registered his ninth bag of the season in an overtime defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, breaking franchise rookie DeMarcus Ware’s record. He had shot down Patrick Mahomes twice in the week before, as the Dallas offensive had ended in defeat at the hands of the Kansas City chiefs.
At six feet three inches and 245 pounds, he offers a daunting cocktail of instinct, speed, strength and athleticism, whether it be a light dive into a tackle or a smooth glide in the usually successful pursuit of a swinging quarterback.
It should also be recalled that he skipped his final year of college due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, although you wouldn’t know given the immediacy of its impact.
“He has some unique things, he definitely has unique things,” added Durde. “As well as being able to play in two very different positions, this is extremely unique to me. But he has some of the moves that you see in other players, but he also has some of the moves that you see in other players, which is unique to me. I would not say that he is like many other players that I have coached.
