DALLAS – Micah Parsons wasn't expected to be drafted by the Cowboys, and even when he was, few felt he would be used correctly. Thankfully for the Cowboys, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn allowed Parsons to be a movable chess piece that produced at multiple positions.

The former Penn State Nittany Lion won Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named a First-Team All-Pro in the process. As Parsons prepares for his second season which is filled with unlimited expectations for him personally, he'll be picking the brain of one of the Cowboys' best defensive players ever.

DeMarcus Ware, the Cowboys all-time leader in sacks and a future member of the Hall of Fame, will be critical in Parsons taking his game to the next level, and he mentioned how fortunate he was to have him for guidance.

“It’s a blessing,” said Parsons. “Obviously after OTAs, we’re going to have a break where I can really tap into him. Obviously, I’ve been working out at different places, but during this break, I’m going to be in Dallas and have a good timeframe for me and him to just get a one-on-one.”

This won't be the first time that Parsons gains insight from Ware. Last summer when the Cowboys were filming Hard Knocks on HBO, Ware was contacted about working with Parsons, and he agreed.

Ware spent about 45 minutes with Parsons at his gym, 3 Volt. During the session, Ware gave Parsons pointers on pass-rush techniques and different moves. The seven-time All-Pro found himself impressed with how advanced Parsons was already.

“I knew how athletic he was, but I didn’t know how technical he can be,” Ware said. “I started teaching him some of the techniques and nuances of reading offenses, reading offensive tackles, how to get off the ball, get a jump ball. All the small things, and he knew that. As I went through the progressions, he picked that up really fast.”

Ware didn't stop there with his praise of Parsons. In an interview with RJ Ochoa of SB Nation's Blogging The Boys, he spoke about how diverse Parsons's skill set was and how effective he thought Parsons could be as a rookie.

“We call the guys that are like him are utilitarians, Ware said. “Guys that can rush the passer, that can drop back in coverage, be that thumper against the run, especially in the NFC East."

Ware hit that analysis right on the head. After minimal pass rush responsibilities in college, Parsons took the knowledge he gained from Ware and parlayed that into 13 sacks, the sixth most in the NFL (had 30 quarterback hits as well). The mind-blowing aspect of it is that Parsons was only a part-time edge rusher, due to his linebacker duties.

Speaking of which, Parsons was elite on the second level as well, chasing ball carriers and pass-catchers down with his incredible burst and ability to navigate sideline to sideline. Parsons finished with 84 tackles, 20 of which were behind the line of scrimmage.

Ware spent nine seasons with the Cowboys and racked up 117 sacks, which averages out to 13 per year, the same amount Parsons had last season. Studying the nuances of Ware will only make Parsons more refined in the art of getting after the quarterback, and he's already been in the film room.

“I’ve watched a little bit of him,” Parsons said. “I watched a little bit of everybody this offseason, just learning how different people play and how different people react to things. But I’m going to play my own style, though. I think everyone is different, but how he saw the game and his reads, I can adapt that and absorb that knowledge from him.”

Parsons has already stamped himself as one of the NFL's top defensive playmakers. Having a source like Ware to draw from will only take that to the next level, and the Cowboys' defense as a whole will be the biggest beneficiary.

Feature image via Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports