Is Miami Dolphins’ Brian Flores ready for Micah Parsons diva attitude?

Brian Flores may be looking at Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons and if he is, is he ready for his first diva player?

Remember LaVar Arrington? He was a crazy prospect that came out of Penn State.  Arrington was an elite linebacker that didn’t have a neck, because his trap muscles were so big. He dominated the line of scrimmage and was a wrecking ball coming at you from the middle linebacker position.

When Nick Saban was the Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins, there were rumors that LaVar would be signing with Miami.  At that time, many fans were enticed with the opportunity of pairing Arrington up with Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas.  When the dust settled, LaVar ended up signing with the Giants and Miami fans never looked back.

Fast forward to this upcoming draft and another Penn State linebacker is drawing a similar comparison to LaVar Arrington – Micah Parsons.  First, let me state this is solely based on his play on the field.  Parson looks like a legit prospect, many knowledgeable and well-respected scouts have Parson as the top defensive prospect in this upcoming NFL draft.  However, and this is a rather large concern, Parson’s off-field incidents, and exposure diminish the rather large accomplishments he has made on the field.

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Look, everyone that is a Miami Dolphin fan remembers Bully Gate.  It was hard to forget and it’s the type of media attention that no team ever wants to have.  Based on the material that is available on the web, Parson is a teammate bully.  There are reports that he got in a few (not one or two) altercations with his teammates, where one time even a knife was drawn.   Whatever the reason was that called for such drastic motives, you can sense that a few teams will automatically eliminate Parson from their draft board.

On the field, you are looking at a player that has the potential to be a game-changer.  Parson is the true definition of an instinctive linebacker that can attack and disrupt the line of scrimmage and has the ability to run with any running back or tight end.   This was supposed to be the player that the Dolphins hoped Jerome Baker would be and has shown some potential that he can be.  Jerome will be a free agent at the end of the 2022 season and most likely would demand a price increase from his rookie contract, presenting an intriguing opportunity for the Miami Dolphins.

What is unclear in this whole situation surrounding Micah Parson is his side of the story.  The NFL combine will present all teams ample opportunity to dissect Parson and fully understand what type of player he is inside the locker room, as everyone has seen what he can do outside of it.   Being labeled the top defensive prospect in this NFL draft by pure talent alone is an amazing accomplishment, but you have to be the complete package in the NFL.  One thing all players know is that Coach Flores is the leader of his team. He has brought and developed players he believes will run through a wall from him.   The prima donna players are a thing of the past (see Jarvis Landry, Mike Wallace, Kenny Stills, Reshad Jones) and the culture that Coach Flores has built is meant to last.

There have been a few former Miami Dolphin Head Coaches that thought they could handle the drama surrounding these types of players, but the keyword is “former coaches.”   To be honest, it would be hard to pass on Parson.  Due to all the social media exposure that has been labeled to this prospect, there will be a draft-day slide.  How far? No one can actually predict, but what happens if Parson is still on the board at the 18th overall spot in the NFL draft?

During the Senior Bowl players fell in love with Flores.  The way he planned his practices to his demeanor on the field on game day, he’s a player’s coach.

The only thing that Flores hasn’t been involved with during his tenure as the Dolphins head coach is prima donna players, is the risk worth the reward when it comes to Micah Parsons?

That question is something I can’t answer – it’s solely based on whether or not Coach Flores can work with him and believes him.  Whatever the outcome is, Dolphin fans will understand if Flores stays true to his mantra or if he adds a new element.