Why future Hall of Famer compares Micah Parsons to Aaron Donald

The Dallas Cowboys are looking to have their third consecutive big year on the defensive side of the ball. That, of course, starts and ends with All-Pro linebacker/edge rusher Micah Parsons.  Parsons wanted to get guidance on how to be a better pass rusher from guys who had to go up against them during the […]

Matthew Lenix
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The Dallas Cowboys are looking to have their third consecutive big year on the defensive side of the ball. That, of course, starts and ends with All-Pro linebacker/edge rusher Micah Parsons. 

Parsons wanted to get guidance on how to be a better pass rusher from guys who had to go up against them during the offseason. That's where former All-Pro offensive lineman Andrew came into play. 

Whitworth spent a week with Parsons, and there's one key thing that stood out that reminded him of All-Pro defensive, tackle Aaron Donald.

“He’s unbelievable," Whitworth said. "The first thing I walked away with is how he reminded me of Aaron Donald, because of the way he competes every single rep of his workout. Most guys don’t do that.

“The most impressive thing to me is I think from a rush standpoint he is still a pretty raw rusher. It’s pretty new to him. To be as successful as he is, it’s crazy.”

Parsons is certainly new to rushing the passer having only spent significant time doing it on the pro level. The way he's adapted has been extraordinary, though, with 26.5 sacks over his first two seasons. 

That element of Parsons' game is essential to what Dallas does defensively. But Parsons wants his effectiveness to reach a higher plateau. 

"I'm kinda off the sack wave. I'm onto the impact wave," Parsons said back in June. "You see Aaron Donald. He can have 12 sacks, but the impact he makes is so dominant. You can tell. I really just want to be dominant. And then you see guys who have 16-17 sacks, but they're not considered a guy. I want to be a guy, not one of the guys. You feel me? … I'm not chasing for something. I'm trying to achieve and be greater than someone who is chasing."

It was thought that Parsons was going to be a full-time edge rusher in 2023, but defensive coordinator Dan Quinn quickly shut that down saying that he's a pass-rushing linebacker. Parsons mentioned he could play up to eight different positions in 2023, so it's going to be fun to see.

Feature image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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