Who will the Detroit Lions select with No. 7 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft?
There has been plenty of speculation as to who the Lions will select if they do not trade out of the No. 7 slot, including selecting the best available quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback, or even tight end.
But according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, the Lions will use the No. 7 pick to select LB Micah Parsons out of Penn State.
Parsons, who sat out the 2020 college season due to concerns about COVID-19, is arguably the best defensive player available in this year's draft class, though some have said that drafting an off-the-ball linebacker at No. 7 would be a mistake.
In a recent piece published in The Athletic, Feldman explains why he believes the Lions should select Parsons and a college coach says Parsons is a “future Hall of Famer.”
Detroit really needs help on defense. It was dead last in the NFL statistically and sorely needs some playmakers. Parsons opted out of the 2020 season and was really missed by his team. The former five-star lived up to his massive recruiting hype. In 2019, he made 109 tackles, 14 tackles for losses and had four forced fumbles, becoming the first sophomore in Big Ten history to win the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award.
Parsons was at his best in big games. He had 14 tackles against Michigan; eight of those tackles held the Wolverines to 1 yard or less. At Minnesota, he had 11 tackles and two TFLs, and at Ohio State, he had 10 tackles, two TFLs and forced and recovered a fumble. In Penn State’s Cotton Bowl win against Memphis, he had 14 tackles, three TFLs and two sacks. As a true freshman in 2018, Parsons also had 14 tackles and forced a fumble against Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl.
The Coaching Intel
“He is no doubt NFL-ready today, and he has only played linebacker for two years. He hasn’t even scratched the surface yet of what he will be. A future Hall of Famer in my opinion. He’s one of the most competitive people that I’ve ever been around. He always shines in the biggest moments.”
“Micah is super explosive and is very hard to block in the run or throw game. He has great rush ability, really good instincts and he learns well. At the next level, I feel like he’s a will-back or your 3-4 outside boundary guy or to the field.”
Nation would you like this pick?
