UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Sophomore Micah Parsons claimed NCAA Consensus All-America laurels, becoming the 43rd student-athlete in program history to earn the honor. He is the first consensus selection since Saquon Barkley was a unanimous choice in 2017.
Parsons garnered first-team All-America honors from two outlets that comprise the NCAA Consensus All-America team - Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association - and second team accolades from the other three outlets - Football Writers Association of America, Walter Camp, Sporting News.
The native of Harrisburg earned the Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection. He is the first sophomore to win Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and the third Nittany Lion to claim the award, joining Michael Mauti (2012) and Mike Hull (2014). Parsons was also was a finalist for the Butkus Award for the nation's top linebacker.
Parsons has also claimed All-America honors from American Football Coaches Association (first team), Sports Illustrated (first team), Bleacher Report (first team), Pro Football Focus (first team), ESPN, USA Today, Football Writers Association of American (second team), Sporting News (second team), Walter Camp (second team), CBS Sports (second team) and The Athletic (second team). He is the 101st first-team All-American in Penn State history and the first Nittany Lion to claim first-team All-America honors since Saquon Barkley in 2017. Parsons is the first sophomore to earn first-team All-America status since LaVar Arrington in 1998.
For the second-straight season, Parsons is leading the Nittany Lions in tackles with 85. He also has 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. Parsons ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 7.7 tackles per game. He has five games with 10 or more tackles this season. He is one of 22 players in FBS and two in the Big Ten (Dele Harding, Illinois) to total at least 80 tackles and 10 tackles for loss this season. He is the first Penn State player to do so since Mike Hull in 2014 and is the seventh Penn Stater to accomplish the feat since 2000.
The No. 10 Nittany Lions head to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl to face No. 17 Memphis on Dec. 28 at noon on ESPN. For information on Cotton Bowl tickets, visit GoPSUsports.com/bowlcentral.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and reserving new 2020 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 9 a.m-4:30 p.m.
