Former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons may be coming off one of the most impressive rookie seasons we have seen in quite some time, but the reigning defensive rookie of the year is already setting his sights on what he and the rest of his team can do better in 2022.

Parsons took some time to answer some questions looking back on his incredible rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys and looking ahead to 2022 in a sitdown interview with CBS Sports. Among the topics covered in the interview included his first impressions of some NFL quarterbacks, where he and the Cowboys can improve before next season and whether or not he accomplished everything he wanted in 2021.

Parsons let it be known not every goal was met in 2021, mostly on the team side of things as the Cowboys fell short of a Super Bowl championship, but he did accomplish some of his goals in his rookie season.

“I wanted to complete the year healthy and help the Cowboys to the playoffs,” Parsons said when asked about his goals for 2021. “I wanted to help take the Cowboys to the Super Bowl and become a leader on the team. I accomplished almost all of them.”

Parsons also addressed growing up as a football fan in Harrisburg, and not having any allegiance to the more local teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens. Parsons said it was different growing up in central PA, but he did have a number of players around the league he looked up to as he worked on his own game.

“When I was coming out, Devin White was setting the standard. You look at Luke (Kuechly) setting the standard for linebackers before he retired,” P{arsons reflected. “You’re looking at players that played the position at an elite level and are fast like Bobby (Wagner). Those fast, make-a-lot-of-plays linebackers were who I was looking at.”

Parsons is just one of the latest players to come out of Penn State and make a smooth transition to the NFL. The former Penn State linebacker was asked what Penn State and head coach James Franklin do that allows for that trend to continue.

“They’re structured and disciplined. I was so prepared because of Coach Franklin,” Parsons explained. “He made sure you attended meetings, paid attention to detail — basically coached you to be a pro. He could easily be a NFL coach. His whole program was designed for you to prepare for the next level, whether it’s on the field or off the field.”

Don’t think for one second that quote won’t be highlighted by Franklin and his entire staff when out on the recruiting trail. Now with a defensive rookie of the year and an offensive rookie of the year (Saquon Barkley) under their watch, Penn State has another terrific selling point to use in the recruiting process.

You can read the full interview with Parsons on CBS Sports.

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