Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1400830
tive of his teammate's show of support. But, truth to tell, it sounds like a lot of people have Nassib's back these days. In the months since he became the first ac- tive NFL player to announce that he is gay, Nassib has been hailed throughout the sports world and beyond. The day after he made his announcement in June, Nassib's No. 94 Raiders jersey was the NFL's top seller according to Fanatics, which runs the league's online merchan- dise stores. He also received an outpouring of social media support, including tweets from former Penn State teammates Saquon Barkley and Trace McSorley. Nassib was even the subject of a presi- dential tweet. President Joe Biden saluted the former Nittany Lion along with trans- gender soccer player Kumi Yokoyama. "I'm so proud of you," Biden wrote. "Because of you, countless kids around the world are seeing themselves in a new light today." Of the many encouraging words that Nassib received, Carr's appeared to be among the most meaningful. The veteran quarterback said he texted Nassib shortly after seeing his announcement on Insta- gram, and the two later talked. Carr said he and Nassib had "a great conversation" and added that he wants the Raiders to create the most supportive environment possible. "If he comes in the locker room and someone doesn't agree with him, I was like, 'That's OK, as long as you love him. Don't treat him different,' " Carr said. "That's our brother, bro. We're trying to win a Super Bowl. We're trying to help him be the best version of himself." ■ When Micah Parsons enrolled at Penn State in January 2018, the Nittany Lions' coaching staff immediately went to work figuring out how to make the best use of his talent and versatility. While he had shown in high school that he could be a game-wrecking defensive end, the staff thought he'd be better off at linebacker as a collegian. But which linebacker spot was the best fit? A little over three years later, the Dallas Cowboys are asking some of the same questions. After selecting Parsons with the 12 th overall pick this past spring, the Cowboys have been deploying him all over the practice field in training camp. He's taken snaps at middle linebacker, strongside line- backer and as a pass rusher coming off the edge. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has used him in coverage and as a blitzer in an effort to get the most out of Parsons' unique skill set. "Every day he comes up with something new that he wants to do with me," Par- sons told reporters in the early days of training camp. "I don't take it as a bad thing. I take it as this is an honor, because that's how much he be- lieves in me and my talents and what I can bring to this team and defense." Parsons can presumably bring quite a lot to a Cowboys unit that ranked 23 rd in the league last year in total defense, allowing 386.4 yards per game. He was the third defensive player to come off the board in the NFL Draft on April 29, following cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain, who went to Carolina and Denver with the eighth and ninth picks, respectively. Quinn is a veteran coordinator, having built his reputation as the mastermind behind a Seattle Seahawks defense that lifted the team to a pair of Super Bowl appearances. He isn't known for being particularly effusive, and so it was entirely in character when he told Cowboys beat reporters this summer that one of Parsons' assets was that he didn't mess up very often. "To his credit, he has worked hard," Quinn said. "There are very few busts on his end." Even after a breakthrough sophomore season in which Parsons received con- sensus All-America honors, Penn State defensive coordinator Brent Pry often said that he was only beginning to tap into his potential. Quinn is now charged with ensuring that the improvements continue. Parsons, who had three tackles and a fumble recovery in the Cowboys' exhibition opener vs. Pittsburgh, acknowledged that Quinn is "hard to impress." But he's eager to take the next step in his career and wants to be pushed. "He always wants you to keep getting better," Parsons said. "That's the kind of coach that you want to be under. Each day we're finding ways for me to get a little better at some- thing and trying to make me an all-around player." Meanwhile, in Baltimore, Penn State's other first-round draft pick this year, defensive end Odafe Oweh, has been impressing his coaching staff with his pass-rush ability. The Ravens knew they were getting an unpolished prospect when they took him with the 31 st overall pick, but they were confident that his spec- tacular measurables, which included a 4.36-second 40- yard dash, would translate into productivity at the NFL level. So far in camp, they like what they've seen. "He's only played football for five years," de- fensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale told The Baltimore Sun. "That's why I'm talking about him being raw. But there are things he does right now in practice that are better than what our veterans can do. And he's just learning it, too. "He doesn't even have the technique perfected … That's what's exciting about him. And on top of that, he's a great person. He wants to be great, and he checks all those boxes. And I guarantee, he's going to be on the quarterback. He's going to hit the quarterback, so don't worry about that." — Matt Herb Lions' First-Rounders Flash Potential In Training Camp Parsons was a consensus All-American before sitting out last season to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 7 3