 }})
I am probably the wrong guy on comps to Parson. I was actually one of the dudes on the board who after digesting Parsons didn't feel he was a risk. As I mentioned then, I watched him in that ESPN, Hey Rookie special, and he hit me as likeable (all the other players who participated looked up to him as the leader of the group). He was well spoken, funny and competitive as heck -- didn't matter what they were doing, races, bowling, etc -- an Alpha, that dude wanted to win and it became a joke in a fun way with the other players.
So, I just happened to get a window into the dude on a month long reality TV show series so it gives me at least some sense of the dude. I recall some goofing on him from some during his first preseason game where he missed a tackle and some said hey we dodged a bullet, thankfully he's in Dallas not here.
I can remember it well because it aged in such a comical way. And I recall saying give the dude a break its just a few plays in a preseason game, bad karma goofing on Parsons. He was by far the #1 on my board for LB when we ranked them per position. Don't get me wrong I wasn't pounding the table for him back then but at a minimum I recall selling on the board that he doesn't come off like a bad dude.I haven't really dived into Pearce the player or the dude that much yet. I've watched him a little. But I need to dive in more. On a surface level, I don't love what I hear, feels much different than Parson. Anger issues. Loner who doesn't like to interact with his teammates. Not coachable. Lazy. You got me if any of it is true. But if it is that's a bad combination and not apples to apples to the Parson's rap. With Parson's it referenced immaturity off the field, mostly years back. With Pearce is seems centered on his in the locker room character.
Feels like Green is more similar to the Parsons. Green's allegations are much more serious of course. But from what I've heard he's not a bad teammate or a problem in the locker room.
Micah Parsons Addresses Perceived 'Character Issues' Ahead of NFL Draft
Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons said he won't let past "mistakes" control his future.
www.si.com
"At the end of the day, I believe that I was a kid," Parsons said. "I was 17-18. We all made mistakes when we were 17-18. I’m not going to let it control or dictate the person I am now. I’m not going to let something that was 3-4 years [ago] dictate who I've become and the father I want to be."
No specific "character issues" have been mentioned publicly, though Parsons' name appeared in a 2020 hazing lawsuit that a former Penn State player filed against the university and coach James Franklin. No charges were filed, and Parsons was not named as a defendant in the civil suit.
Parsons was among a group of players that allegedly hazed former Penn State player Isaiah Humphries, according to the lawsuit. Parsons did not address the suit specifically at Pro Day but did say that "obviously people have concerns about things that came up."
Parsons, who opted out of the 2020 season, said he has spoken to nearly every NFL team and recalled the particularly strong relationship he has with former Penn State assistant Sean Spencer, now with the New York Giants, who have the 11th pick. Parsons said that he's eager to play for a program that accepts him.
"Everyone is going to learn and grow," Parsons said. "... And if someone is going to judge me over that, then I’d rather not be in their program. I know the type of person I’m becoming. I know the type of father I’m becoming, and that’s all that matters to me.
"Anybody who’s willing to accept my wrongs when I was wrong and accept my rights when I’m right, I’m ready to go ahead and give it my all. But if it’s going to come down to something that I did in high school or something I wish I could change, I can only control what I can control and what I do moving forward."
