It’s not very often you see a rookie earn first-team All-Pro honors, but that’s the kind of season that Micah Parsons has had for the Dallas Cowboys.

The former Penn State product was one of three Cowboys stars to land on the prestigious list, which was released Friday afternoon. Parsons was the leading vote-getter among linebackers with 46 total votes. More significantly, he joins Lawrence Taylor, Patrick Willis, and Darius Leonard as the only rookie linebackers to receive first-team All-Pro bids since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.

Parsons was one of the NFL’s most versatile defenders this year by making use of his pass-rushing, run defense, and even coverage abilities. The 6’3″, 250-pound linebacker from Harrisburg finished the regular season with 84 total tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, 13 sacks, and three forced fumbles.

Parsons’ 13 sacks place him just shy of the rookie record set by Jevon Kearse of the Tennessee Titans in 1999, who had 14.5.

Parsons was drafted No. 12 overall in the 2021 draft, making him the highest Nittany Lion selected since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall in 2018. Only 22 years old, Parsons is off to a sensational start to his professional career. He’s also the projected winner of the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Cowboys are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday, January 16.