FRISCO, Texas – You've got to respect Micah Parsons' honesty.
As he flies around the field during these offseason practices, it's easy to forget that he's learning on the fly. But asked about his performances to this point, Parsons had some self-awareness about his self-evaluation.
"Right now I'm just trying to play everything, even though I don't know everything, just so I can find a way to get on the field," he said.
It's understandable that Parsons is still getting comfortable in the Cowboys' scheme – it's also incredibly impressive. For a guy that's still learning what's happening, he's certainly making his presence felt.
During Thursday's OTA, Parsons made several of the best plays of the afternoon, including a pick-six of Ben DiNucci during seven-on-seven drills and an A-gap blitz that resulted in a sack of Garrett Gilbert during the team session.
It was a perfect encapsulation of what Parsons is capable of – the speed and ranginess to make plays in the passing game, combined with the explosiveness required to get after the quarterback.
"It's one thing to cover or one thing to tackle, but if you can do the trifecta and do all three – cover, tackle and blitz and get pressure – then that's what makes you a good ball player," Parsons said.
The Cowboy are easing their No. 12 overall draft pick along, being sure not to overload him. At the same time, they're clearly comfortable asking him to do more. Parsons has been working plenty at linebacker, but he has also begun to work on the edge, as well.
Asked about his progression, Parsons said he's already grown from last month's rookie minicamp. If he keeps gaining at this rate, he should be ready for whatever is thrown at him during training camp.
"I would still say I'm like 50-50 right now. I've got a base, and I'm just building off the base of what I know and understand so far," he said. "There's a lot more checks and a lot more play calls here than I had before."
It's just a start, but it's an awfully intriguing start. And if Parsons is capable of flashing like this while he's still finding his way, it's exciting to think what the future might hold.
"Right now I'm building that confidence, and I think I'm starting to get the older guys' attention and their belief in me," he said. "So once I get their belief and keep building up my own confidence, I think the sky is the limit for myself and this team."
