The Cowboys have had great fortune when it comes to early draft picks over the last few years. They snagged wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and cornerback Trevon Diggs in the first two rounds in 2020, and both have received Pro Bowl honors in their first two seasons.

Dallas hit the jackpot even bigger in 2021 with the selection of linebacker Micah Parsons with the 12th overall pick. The presence of Parsons turned the Cowboys' defense into the top unit of its kind when it came to forcing turnovers and getting off the field on third down.

Pro Football Focus put out a list on Tuesday ranking the best NFL linebackers and placing them in different tiers. Surprisingly, Parsons was in Tier 3, but there's a specific reason why.

"Parsons is already one of the best defensive playmakers in the NFL as he enters just his second season in the league, but it’s difficult to rank him purely as an off-the-ball linebacker. Parsons lined up as an edge rusher on 40.6% of his snaps as a rookie, and that’s where he did the bulk of his damage. He was good as a true linebacker, but his ability to play two different roles on any given snap made him special and provided a hybrid ability that caused problems for offenses.

"That flexibility is tremendously valuable to the Dallas defense, but Parsons could take his game to another level if he shows development off the ball in Year 2."

Parsons is the Cowboys' Swiss Army knife on defense so he's not the typical off-the-ball linebacker. His ability to rush the passer led to not just 13 sacks for him individually, but 41 for the Cowboys as a whole last season, 10 more than they had in 2020. Also, the Cowboys allowed 112.8 yards per game against the run in 2021, 46 yards fewer than the year before thanks in large part to Parsons and his ability to roam sideline to sideline and shoot through gaps against the run with led to 20 tackles for loss.

This means that his Parsons flexibility shouldn't be a knock on him. No matter where the Cowboys put him, he plays on an elite level, which means there should be no top tier when it comes to linebackers without Parsons on it, he's just that good.

If anyone is thinking that Parsons is content because he spearheaded a massive turnaround for the Cowboys' defense and earned himself an All-Pro nod in his rookie year they're sadly mistaken. Instead, he's looking to be even better for the Cowboys in his second season.

“Bro, I can get better everywhere,” Parsons said in February. “I can become a better pass-rusher. I can become a better linebacker. Like, anything. I just feel like I’m just out there raw and I was just learning and I grew and I kept getting better and better throughout the year. No one’s ever perfect. There’s always room to grow in many ways to get better.”

The case can be made that Parsons is already as valuable a defensive player as there is in the NFL with all that he does. He's turned the defense of the Cowboys into the most trusted unit on the team going forward and he'll need to continue his dominance for Dallas to finally get over the playoff hump.

Feature image via Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports