Micah Parsons gives Packers reason for optimism with revealing assessment of rookie making strong early impression
Rookie fourth-round edge defender Dani Dennis-Sutton has shown traits early on, and Parsons thinks he can be a really good piece on the defense.
Micah Parsons knows he will miss the first few games of the regular season, but there’s a significant silver lining building up for the Green Bay Packers. Besides talking about his own knee injury, Parsons expressed optimism about what the Packers got in fourth-round rookie edge defender Dani Dennis-Sutton.
Just like Parsons, DDS went to Penn State. They didn’t have a strong connection previously, but the veteran is already seeing special traits in the rookie.
“Specifically in this 3-4 system, he’s going to have a lot of success just with his length, his speed, and the violence he plays with,” Parsons said. “He’s going to be a really good football player for us.”
Excitement for the future
The Packers didn’t have a first-round pick exactly because they traded for Parsons last year. So adding mid-round players with real potential is what the roster needs. And the All-Pro star thinks that’s what Brian Gutekunst did with Dennis-Sutton.
“We didn’t have a crazy relationship [in college] since I was gone before he got there,” Parsons added. “But just seeing him this week, I think we got a really, really good football player.”
Dani Dennis-Sutton pressures in college
Numbers from his four seasons at Penn State
- 2022: 18
- 2023: 26
- 2024: 37
- 2025: 45
Throughout his four college football seasons, DDS generated 23.5 sacks (including 8.5 in each of the past two years), 126 pressures, and 65 stops. He was more productive in college than higher-graded prospects the Packers had selected, like Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness. Curiously enough, Dennis-Sutton is also highly athletic.
The roster lost Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare. And without Parsons to start the season, young players will have to step up and produce early on. Despite being a rookie, DDS has shown the potential to do exactly that while his fellow Penn State alum gets back.