Micah Parsons clarifies controversial reaction to Cowboys' Tyler Guyton pick
By Jerry Trotta
By all accounts, the Dallas Cowboys had a very productive first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Rather than stay put at pick No. 24 and draft their center of the future in Graham Barton, the Cowboys moved back five spots to the 29th pick and selected Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton.
A right tackle for the Sooners, Guyton is expected to convert to left tackle. He has the athleticism to play on the left side, but the transition likely won't be seamless given his rawness. Guyton made just 12 starts at Oklahoma and though his footwork is elite, he needs to develop more strength and work on playing with a stronger base.
Even if Guyton doesn't shine from day one, he's an exciting pick. Even better is the fact that Dallas picked up the No. 73 overall pick in the trade so they now have three selections at their disposal on day two.
Overall, the Cowboys were praised for their work on night one, but Micah Parsons wasn't as celebratory as fans and analysts. Parsons' live reaction to the Guyton pick on Bleacher Report showed one of disappointment and his quote didn't do much to change those opinions.
Micah Parsons clarifies reaction to Cowboys' Tyler Guyton pick in NFL Draft
“I’m not mad at the pick," Parsons said of Guyton. "We need more depth at left tackle. It’s very interesting. It’s not a bad pick. I’m never gonna question Will McClay.”
Aware of the criticism, Parsons took to X (or Twitter) to clarify his reaction, though he quickly deleted the post. Parsons said his reaction was directed at the fact he needed to do 10 push ups as punishment for getting the pick wrong and that he's excited Guyton is coming to Dallas. The former Sooner seemingly wasn't on Parsons' so-called big board after Dallas moved out of pick No. 24.
This initially wasn't a great look for Parsons. Fans might remember Parsons celebrating emphatically last year when the Cowboys selected Mazi Smith in the first round. Parsons admitted to texting then-defensive coordinator Dan Quinn that he wanted Smith, a nose tackle out of Michigan.
It's unclear which players Parsons wanted this time around. He expressed disappointment on B/R's live stream when the Eagles took Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Perhaps the All-Pro wanted Dallas to beef up the defensive side of the ball. If that was his motivation, then it's hard to fault his reaction.
The important thing is Parsons cleared up any controversy. His supposed frustration wasn't directed at Guyton. It's easy for reactions to get misinterpreted, especially on a live stream in which predictions are being made.