New England Patriots: 5 best NFL prospects to select at No. 15

New England Patriots selections at No. 15: Micah Parsons, Linebacker, Penn State

Arguably the best defensive prospect available, Micah Parsons would be a perfect fit with the New England Patriots.

Parsons opted out of the 2020 season so that he could focus on preparing for the NFL Draft, and it hasn’t seemed to affect his draft stock whatsoever. Last time we saw Parsons was in 2019, when he was making plays all over the field for Penn State.

He racked up 109 tackles, five sacks, forced four fumbles, and also deflected five passes, showing how he can make an impact all over the field.

Parsons has all the qualities of a star linebacker as we have seen throughout his time in college. He is an athletic freak, as seen by his 4.39 40 yard dash time at his pro day, which allows him to make numerous tackles and stay in coverage with tight ends and running backs alike.

He can tackle, cover, rush the passer, and pretty much everything in between, making him the complete package. There have been some character concerns throughout his time at Penn State, but they don’t appear likely to ruin his draft stock too much.

There’s a good chance that Parsons won’t be around when the Patriots are first on the clock, but if he is they should absolutely look into picking him up.

The Patriots linebacker depth was sorely lacking last season, and while they are set to get Dont’a Hightower back after he opted out of the 2020 season, he is 31 years old, and won’t be around much longer.

Adding Parsons allows the Patriots to select their potential successor for Hightower, while also giving Parsons time to develop under one of the best linebackers in the game in Hightower.