Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons has been turning a lot of heads this 2021 season, so much so that he has even drawn a massive praise from head coach Mike McCarthy.

Parsons has been anchoring the Cowboys' defense this season, which he showed once again during their Thursday showdown with the New Orleans Saints. He recorded five total tackles, a tackle for a loss and two QB hits in the game. Even more amazing, he had his 10th sack in the contest to further solidify his case as NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

With the way he is playing, McCarthy couldn't help but compare him to another legend: Barry Sanders.

“I'm never surprised because he's so natural. He's almost like Barry Sanders in there when he's avoiding blocks. They can't get their hands on him,” McCarthy said of the Cowboys edge-rusher, per Michael Gehlken of Dallas Morning News.

It's certainly big praise from Mike McCarthy, especially since Barry Sanders is largely considered one of the best, if not the greatest running backs of all time. For Micah Parsons to be compared to such legend shows the impact he has on the Cowboys.

When the offense is not working for Dallas, they often rely on their defense to keep them competing. Parsons has done exactly that for the team. In 12 starts for the team, the 22-year-old has already 72 tackles and an NFL-leading 16 tackles for loss. Further, he has 25 QB hits, two passes defended and two forced fumbles.

With him leading the defense, the Cowboys are starting to become more and more like legitimate title contenders.