Penn State football linebacker Micah Parsons was rated as the No. 31 player in all of college football by Pro Football Focus on its list of the top 101 players this past season.

Parsons blossomed into a superstar in 2019 with 109 tackles, 14 tackles-for-loss, five sacks, five pass deflections, and four forced fumbles. His superb season earned him multiple honors, most notably including Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, and consensus All-American honors.

“Parsons was the only linebacker with elite grades in all three facets this year. He recorded a national-best 94.8 run-defense grade, fourth-highest 90.0 tackling grade and 17th-best pass-rush grade of 85.0,” Pro Football Focus’ Cam Mellor wrote. “He was a sure tackler who also made incredible strides across the field in every facet of play.”

Parsons’ season was highlighted by his dominant performance in the 2019 Cotton Bowl in which he totaled 14 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pass deflections on his way to being named the game’s defensive MVP.

Parsons will be back in Happy Valley next season for his third and possibly final season at Penn State. He’ll go into next season as one of the best defensive players in college football, as well as a potential top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.