The Cowboys didn't have to wait long to find out what they had last season in linebacker Micah Parsons. He recorded his first sack in Week 2 and then proceeded to rack up 13 for his entire rookie campaign.

Parsons tallied 84 tackles (20 tackles for loss), 30 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and three passes defended for the Cowboys in 2021 as well. This dominance led to Parsons running away with the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He was also named first-team All-Pro and was a top candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.

On Tuesday, CBS Sports ranked the top-10 linebackers in the NFL for the 2022 season. Future Hall of Fame linebacker Bobby Wagner of the Los Angeles Rams finished a strong second, but he was knocked off his mantle by Parsons as he came in at No. 1 on the list.

"Parsons took the NFL by storm in his rookie season, recording 84 combined tackles and a Dallas Cowboys rookie record 13 sacks. He told us last week that 15 sacks are the "minimum" in 2022. Parsons was the No. 1 linebacker according to PFF, with a grade of 89.7. He also registered an absurd pass-rushing grade of 93.

"While Parsons proved to be a stud pass-rusher, some had questions about his coverage ability coming into the league. Parsons actually finished No. 12 among linebackers in 2021 with a PFF coverage grade of 70 in 295 coverage snaps. If you go back and watch him play throughout his rookie season, you'll not only see a talented pass-rusher, but a good linebacker that can read and react quickly. A defender who can blow up screen plays and make takedowns in the open field."

The fact Parsons knocked Wagner off the list is quite the impressive feat. Wagner has made both the Pro Bowl and been named a first- or second-team All-Pro every year since 2014. If everything goes well in LA -which it should- Wagner has a chance to crack the NFL's top-10 in regard to total tackles over the course of a career.

In addition to playing linebacker and defensive Parsons also took snaps at cornerback and safety for the Cowboys' defense in 2021. That unreal versatility coupled with his passion for the game made Parsons the centerpiece for the Cowboys defensively as they led the NFL in turnovers and were ranked as the top unit in terms of stopping teams on third down.

It's one thing for a linebacker to be a force on the second level considering that's his job. However, after not having the responsibility much at Penn State, for Parsons to amass the number of sacks he did as a rookie is quite special.

Parsons has established himself as the heartbeat of the Cowboys' defense. With a season under his belt and another year of guidance from Cowboys' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, expect year two to be another excellent one for Parsons.

Feature image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports