Plenty of fans were frustrated when the Cowboys drafted Parsons after missing out on the two top cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft, due to their perceived need at the position.
A year later, Parsons has landed at No. 16 on the NFL’s top 100 list as the fifth highest ranked defensive player in the league.
Cowboys LB Micah Parsons was voted the No. 16 players in the NFL by fellow players following his first season in the league. That is the fifth-highest ranking of any defender behind Aaron Donald, TJ Watt, Jalen Ramsey and Myles Garrett.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 29, 2022
The linebacker proved his versatility by doing just about everything for Dan Quinn’s defense, lining up all over the field as a linebacker or a defensive end. He collected 13 sacks, good for sixth in the league, along with 7 tackles for loss on top of his sacks and 84 total tackles. His stellar rookie campaign led to him being selected as the unanimous Defensive Rookie of the Year while finishing as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.
As he enters his sophomore campaign, Parsons is projected to have the fifth most sacks in the league in 2022. If his terrorizing training camp says anything, Parsons is more than ready to exceed those expectations.
No. 44, Dak Prescott
After suffering a season-ending ankle injury in 2020, Dak Prescott made a strong impression in the league with one of his best seasons as a Cowboy in 2021.
Prescott’s performance last year was good enough to land him at No. 44 on the NFL’s Top 100 list for 2022, one spot ahead of Buffalo’s Jordan Poyer and behind Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers.
The quarterback threw for 4,449 yards during the regular season last year, completing 68.8% of his passes to go with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Prescott wasn’t in the 2021 list after his injury, but he was ranked 46th in the 2020 NFL Top 100.
No. 23, CB Trevon Diggs
It didn’t take long for Trevon Diggs to make an impact after he was drafted. The Alabama product improved as his rookie season progressed in 2020 and it paid off in 2021.
Diggs made his first NFL Top 100 at No. 23 after recording 11 interceptions during the regular season. The cornerback tied Everson Walls’ franchise record for interceptions when he picked off Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke on Dec. 26, 2021.
Diggs landed three spots ahead of his brother, Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs, who came in a No. 26.
The first portion of the 2022 list was released Aug. 14 and three Cowboys players made the cut. CeeDee Lamb made his debut in the rankings, while Zack Martin and Tyron Smith made return appearances.
No. 95, WR CeeDee Lamb
CeeDee Lamb kicked things off for Dallas after recording 79 catches for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns in the 2021 regular season. It’s the first time the Oklahoma product has landed on the list, which is voted on by NFL players.
No. 92, LT Tyron Smith
Despite battling injuries for the past few seasons, Tyron Smith is still considered one of the best left tackles in the game by his peers. Smith landed at No. 92 on the list after missing out in 2021. Before last year’s list was revealed, Smith made regular appearances in the league’s Top 100. Smith’s most recent standing was No. 78 on the 2020 list.
No. 68, OG Zack Martin
Zack Martin has been the most consistent presence for the Cowboys in the NFL Top 100, landing on the list for six straight years. Martin was ranked 68th on the 2022 list, making a jump from the No. 85 spot he occupied in 2021. Martin started 16 games for the Cowboys last season and was named a First Team All-Pro to go with seven Pro Bowl selections.
This is the 12th year the NFL has released its list of Top 100 players, starting with Numbers 100-51 last Sunday. Numbers 50-21 will be revealed on Aug. 21, ended with the top 20 selections being named on Aug. 28.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.