Eagles draft Georgia LB Nakobe Dean at No. 83 overall

The Philadelphia Eagles have selected LB Nakobe Dean out of Georgia with the No. 83 overall pick.

Widely projected as a first-round talent, Dean fell all the way to the third round due to injury concerns.

Per league source, there’s a feeling inside the #NFL Nakobe Dean is looking at a redshirt year due to Pec tear and meniscus in knee. #NFLDraft

— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardoNFL) April 30, 2022

Even if Dean misses time, the potential reward far outweighs the risk.

Dean is the most athletically gifted linebacker in this class with tremendous speed and football instincts. He excels as both a run defender and a pass rusher, as evidenced by his 31 pressures generated in 2021.

The Georgia standout can go stride for stride with receivers, allowing just a 30.7 QB rating when targeted in coverage. Dean possesses incredible acceleration and explosiveness, enabling him to work his way through traffic to wrap up ball carriers.

The one knock on him is that he’s a bit undersized for a prototypical linebacker, but his skillset is so elite that it hardly matters. If Dean can get the medicals worked out, he has the traits to be the most impactful LB in Philadelphia since Jeremiah Trotter.

Dean played behind fellow Georgia and now Eagles-teammate Jordan Davis last season, totaling 72 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, and two interceptions.

Nakobe Dean in 2021:

🐶 91.7 PFF Grade (1st among SEC LBs)
🐶 91.3 Pass Rush Grade (1st)
🐶 90.4 Coverage Grade (1st)
🐶 80.4 Run Defense Grade (2nd)pic.twitter.com/AhgD668RWh

— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) March 25, 2022