Dallas Cowboys rookie Micah Parsons addresses comparisons to Lawrence Taylor

Dallas Cowboys rookie linebacker Micah Parsons did not wait long to make his mark on the NFL. Parsons has been a dominating force on the Cowboys’ defense, helping to shore up a unit that was a question mark entering the season. With his strong play in recent weeks, Parsons has begun to draw some lofty comparisons, including one to NFL great Lawrence Taylor.

With comparisons to a NFL great and Hall of Famer in Taylor coming in, Parsons said that it is too early for those talks. He is happy with the success he has seen so far this season, but Parsons doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself.

“It’s really too early,” Parsons said via AP’s Schuyler Dixon. “I could see the similarities. But LT was completely different. It’s an honor that people are doing that. But to be compared to a Hall of Famer so early on, I mean it’s not ready to be in the conversation yet. I still have a long way to go.”

Taylor comparisons come after a great stretch of games for Parsons

Parsons has been pretty consistent throughout the season, but he has really turned things to a new gear since Week 9. The Cowboys have dealt with a plethora of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, forcing Parsons to switch between linebacker and defensive end. Regardless, he has been one of the best players in the entire NFL.

Since Week 9, Parsons has 9.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits, and ten tackles for loss, all of which are the most in the NFL. He also has three forced fumbles in that stretch, which is tied for the league lead. Through 13 games as a rookie, Parsons has 75 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 27 quarterback hits, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two passes defended.

The comparisons to Taylor are interesting for Parsons, in part due to a special piece of history. Taylor is currently the only player in NFL history to win the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award as a rookie. With the way Parsons has been playing, that feat is not out of the realm of possibilities for the former Penn State star.

Taylor is one of the all-time best NFL pass rushers, and Parsons isn’t quite there yet. But the fact that those comparisons don’t seem that far fetched speaks volumes about the impact Parsons has truly had on the Cowboys this year as a rookie.