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NFL

Eagles land LB Nakobe Dean after huge NFL Draft slide

Though concerns about his injury record may have contributed to his stock falling, the reality is the Eagles have got themselves a possible future star of the NFL.

Paul Rudder
Update:
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 28: Nakobe Dean attends the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mindy Small/Getty Images)
Mindy SmallGetty

Initially considered one of the top prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft, concerns about an injury saw the LB drop way down the pecking order

Philadelphia Eagles pick Nakobe Dean at No. 83

When the 2022 NFL Draft, got underway on Thursday night, Georgia Bulldogs’ linebacker Nakobe Dean was widely regarded as a first round pick, in fact Dean was expected to be the first selection at his position. A talented playmaker for the Bulldogs’ national championship defense, there were even those who compared him to fellow Georgia product Roquan Smith, the Bears’ two-time second-team All-Pro. Then came the fears surrounding his history of injuries. More precisely a pectoral problem from which he is currently suffering. What was the result of those concerns? Dean’s draft stock began to plummet, so much so in fact that the hulking All-American slid all the way down into the third round on Friday. When the dust settled, it was the Eagles who finally selected Dean at No. 83 with the intention of making him the pillar of their linebacker group.

Who is Nakobe Dean and why did he slide in the NFL Draft?

To be clear and simple, Dean is a top-15 national recruit and quite frankly among the most productive linebackers in College football to date. What then is the problem? On the one side Dean is indeed suffering from what has been called a “severe pec injury,” but on the other hand at 21 years old one would expect him to make a full recovery, except that there are some hang-ups. With his recent decision to forgo an operation on the injury, along with his somewhat shaky medical past there have definitely been concerns raised by teams around the league. Add to that his size - 5′11′ at 229 pounds - combined with previous ankle and shoulder issues and one begins to see how teams could doubt his durability in the long run.

With all of this said, it should be noted that at no point in his entire college career did Dean miss a game through injury. Yes, it’s true that his pectoral issue prevented him from fully participating in workouts at the NFL’s scouting combine and Georgia’s Pro Day in the pre-draft process, but rest assured we’re not talking about a fragile player here. Regarding his present situation, it remains unclear as to how long he will be sidelined as he attempts to recover from the injury without going under the knife. On the other hand, expect heads to turn when he’s finally able to take to the field.

What did the Eagles get with Nakobe Dean?

Doubts aside the reality is this: the Eagles got one of the best players in the Draft from a college that won a championship, two rounds after he was expected to be picked. Dean, as one could have expected led Georgia in tackles as a sophomore before winning the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. He was also a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy for his third and final college season, when he posted a total of 72 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks and two interceptions. When all is said and done, were likely looking at a player that once healthy will do wonders for Philadelphia. Indeed, once Dean is up and running expect him to be immediately slotted into Philadelphia’s defense.