Your NFL franchise needs Nakobe Dean. And if your franchise doesn’t think they need Dean, it’s because they don’t know they need him yet.
Look at the various “needs” for NFL teams this coming season and it’s hard to find a team that doesn’t need help at linebacker.
Some teams like the Texans have so many holes that while a linebacker is a need, there are other positions that need to be prioritized meaning they are unlikely to press the button on a first-round linebacker. But still, the point remains – who doesn’t need a linebacker like Nakobe Dean? Yes, nobody. Everybody needs and wants a Nakobe Dean. Even if they don’t know it yet.
Before we get to where Nakobe Dean is likely to play his football on a Sunday, let’s wind the clock back a bit.
Dean arrived in Athens as a highly-graded recruit but yet his freshman year, by comparison, got off to a relatively slow start with 14 solo tackles and zero sacks in his first year in the SEC. However, all that was to change in his sophomore year when Dean lifted his game to another level, tallying 71 tackles (39 solo) and 1.5 sacks. Those numbers got the 6’0, 225-pound Mississippi native noticed both in the SEC and nationally.
The question was, could Dean carry this form into his Junior year? Well, the answer to that was a resounding yes, he could. Nakobe Dean became the leader of this historic Georgia football defense in 2021.
On his way to winning a National Championship with the Dawgs, Nakobe Dean would rack up 72 tackles (36 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, 28 quarterback hurries, six pass breakups, and two interceptions. This would earn Dean not just a Championship ring but also a Butkus Award.
If Dean’s Sophomore year in Athens had NFL Scouts curious, his Junior year had them jumping up and down with excitement and cemented his place as the number one linebacker in this year’s draft class.
What makes Nakobe Dean stand out so much?
As stated, Dean should be near the top of NFL teams’ shopping lists in Las Vegas in the 2022 NFL Draft. But what makes him stand out from the other linebackers on offer?
The first thing people talk about with Dean is his speed. As his performance in the combine will show, he has an electric pace and will likely be the fastest linebacker in this year’s class. Explosion off the front foot is a major currency in the NFL and will be high on the shopping lists of NFL Scouts. Add in his ability to move sideline to sideline and this is a linebacker with exceptional mobility.
Dean also has an exceptional football brain and football IQ. He will have no problem adapting to different formations and could be a flex player if required. So whether 3-4 or4-3, Dean will adapt and be a starter from day one Everything you expect from a first-round pick.
Georgia football fans remember Nakobe Dean as the leader of this historic defense. Dean was arguably the leader of the team which is a trait NFL teams would bite your hand off for. Show me a leader and I’ll show you a winner. Dean is that leader.
Watch his highlights reel and the most noticeable skill I see is that he is an outstanding tackler. One on one nobody gets beyond Nakobe Dean. Great tackler in the SEC = great tackler in the NFL. Period.
At Georgia, the word elite is used almost customarily, however, Dean is elite on the blitz – his timing on the snap is impeccable and he has patience. Dean can wait on the play developing and most importantly can see how it is developing and move accordingly to negate the offense.
Potential NFL landing spots for Nakobe Dean
So let’s cut to the chase. While everyone wants Nakobe Dean, what are realistic landing spots for this elite linebacker? Let’s look where Dean might be playing his football on Sundays.
Denver Broncos
Denver at pick No. 9 would be an intriguing proposition for Dean. The Broncos have a new defensive coordinator in Ejiro Evero who has moved across from the Rams post their Super Bowl triumph. Dean will look at that dominant Rams defense and be excited to play a part in building similar in Denver.
The Broncos passed over Micah Parsons last year to select Patrick Surtain II to nail down the cornerback position. While that pick cannot be criticised, the Broncos must have looked at the impact Parsons made on the Dallas defense. Whether Denver picks Dean at #9 or tries to stretch for a quarterback at this point is anybody’s guess. But the value lies very much in the favour of Dean and he has the football IQ to fit in well with the new regime in Denver.
Dallas Cowboys
Talking of Dallas, could the Cowboys swoop in and steal Dean with pick No. 24? That seems a long way for Dean to fall but with the Leighton Vander Esch entering free agency and the chance to have Parsons and Dean in the same defense may be too much of an opportunity to pass up for Mike McCarthy. This would be a fantastic pairing, however seems to be too late in the round for Dean to still be there.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles certainly have draft capital this year. In fact the Eagles have three first-round picks at Nos.15, 16, and 19. While the Eagles again seem obsessed with finding a wide receiver, despite already drafting two in successive drafts, there is no doubt they need help in the trenches.
With a trio of first-round picks all around the mid-way mark, they have the luxury of selecting for their needs as well as the best player available. I question if Dean is still there at this stage, but there is no doubt that grabbing a linebacker who can blitz as well as Dean would be a significant trade-up from the talent they have now.
Tennessee Titans
In Nashville, the Titans will need to go about replacing Jayon Brown and Rashaan Evans who hit free agency this year. Of course, Monty Rice is also in Music City so would be a familiar face to help Dean with the settling-in process. The downside about the Titans for Dean is that they still have Zach Cunningham and David Long on the roster which means he would have to oust two starters.
However, this would give Dean time to settle in and develop during his first year. Something all rookies really need. The Titans are a franchise on the rise so this would be a good landing spot, although pick No. 26 is even further for Dean to fall so the chances of him being there are slim.
Baltimore Ravens
Watch out for the Baltimore Ravens at pick No.14. Like the Eagles, they sit tantalizingly mid-first round meaning they can watch the drama (& carnage) of the top 10 unfold before their eyes. The Ravens are historically a defense-dominated franchise and Dean would fit nicely into the culture in Baltimore.
While the mock drafts have another Georgia football star Trayvon Walker being picked here, Walker may too have gone at this point. Should Dean be available at this point, there is a really good chance the Ravens franchise can’t look beyond picking this young linebacker.
Green Bay Packers
Finally, if – and it is a big if – should Dean fall as far as pick No. 28, then it would be hard for the Packers not to pull the trigger. The Packers traditionally do not select linebackers in the first round and the word is they remain obsessed with finding a wide receiver to keep the will he, won’t he Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau.
But the Packers roster has resigning issues across the board and one player they need to resign is linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. Should Campbell not be enticed back then Nakobe Dean would be a natural replacement.
There is no question that Nakobe Dean will bring value to whichever NFL franchise selects him. While the key to a successful NFL career is often finding the right fit, Dean has the correct attitude, skillset, and flexibility to suit almost all franchises.
This means he will be in high demand come April 28th. If mock drafts are to be believed, the “hype” players will go in the top ten – including perhaps two quarterbacks leaving significant value on the board from mid-round onwards.
Selecting Nakobe Dean mid-round or perhaps towards the end of the first would be a steal. But as so often happens in the draft, value isn’t always best in the first 10 picks. So grab Nakobe Dean when you can. You won’t regret it.