Former Penn State star Micah Parsons weighs in on the pre-draft discourse that took over the internet on Thursday.
Drill discourse took over the internet on Thursday. First, it was the comparison between future draft picks Rueben Bain and Arvell Reese, who both competed at their Pro Days. Then, later in the day, new Dallas Cowboy Rashan Gary posted some clips of him working out, and he weirdly got hit with some debate about his ability to rush over minihurdles and around bags.
Of course, former Penn State Nittany Lion Micah Parsons put his two cents into the conversation.
Parsons' claim is the correct one, as he said that you simply cannot properly judge a person's ability just based on drills. The only definitive conversation about someone should be based on their film, and that's where the conversations should start and end.
That goes for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, pass rushers, linebackers, kickers, whoever! Game pressure is impossible to simulate, and evaluating folks based on their work on bags is nonsense.
There is a bigger conversation here about the access that every single person with a smartphone gets nowadays. Every move, no matter if it is during a game or during practice, is seen by an entire fan base. Whether that is right or wrong doesn't matter; it is the reality.
Parsons doesn't really need to worry about anything like this. He does his talking between the white lines when the ball is snapped.
However, this conversation is very relevant right now as we get ready for the NFL Draft at the end of April. The perfect case study for this conversation is none other than former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.
Allar was literally built in a lab to be an NFL quarterback. He stands at a perfect 6'5", weighing in at around 240 pounds with the ability to move very, very well. He has a rocket for an arm, and when you look at him, the first thought that comes to mind is "how many Super Bowls is he going to win?"
Watching him in drills and on air, he continues to paint that exact picture. When he is throwing on air against no one, he looks so good. Then, you cut on the tape.
When you watch the actual football, he is so far from being a perfect quarterback. The biggest thing with him is that his mechanics are so bad that he gets very inconsistent when things are perfect for him.
On top of that, he often struggles to process coverages down the field, and that is something that, like his mechanics, will be improved over time.
Allar is a perfect example of someone that Parsons is talking about. However, just like Reese and Bain, if these guys land in the right spot, they will continue to develop their games and become the best versions of themselves.
For some, a lot of work will be required to get the tape to match the drills. For others, like Parsons, that's not even a worry in the world.