2022 NFL Draft prospect profile – Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

The 2021 Georgia Bulldogs protection was simply extremely stacked. They loved a humiliation of riches at just about each place on the sector.

The Georgia defensive linemen have garnered a lot of the consideration over the course of the draft course of, however their linebacker corps is a superb instance of their unimaginable depth final 12 months. That they had extra beginning caliber linebackers than they may get on the sector beneath most circumstances, resulting in a really wholesome rotation.

Nakobe Dean is extensively considered the perfect of that superb bunch. He’s undersized however instinctive, technically sound, and really athletic. Dean is an influence participant in protection, as a go rusher, and as run defender.

The New York Giants have lengthy wanted an infusion of pace on the second stage of their protection. They’ve additionally wanted a long-term reply at linebacker for a very long time now. May Dean’s dynamic ability set enchantment to the Giants’ aggressive new defensive coordinator?

Prospect: Nakobe Dean (17)
Video games Watched: vs. Clemson (2021), vs. Florida (2021), vs. Alabama (2021 – SEC Championship Recreation), vs. Alabama (2022 – Nationwide Championship Recreation)
Crimson Flags: Strained pec (2022)

Measurables

Profession Stats

Video games Performed: 36

Tackles: 168
Tackles For a loss: 13.5
Sacks: 7.5
Compelled Fumbles: 3
Passes Defensed: 7
Interceptions: 2 (1 returned for a landing)

2021 Stats

Video games Performed: 15

Tackles: 72
Tackles For a loss: 10.5
Sacks: 6.0
Compelled Fumbles: 2
Passes Defensed: 5
Interceptions: 2 (1 returned for a landing)

Fast Abstract

Greatest: Instincts, athleticism, vary, playmaking, go protection, run protection, versatility
Worst: Measurement, over-aggressiveness
Projection: A beginning linebacker with scheme versatility and Professional Bowl upside.

Recreation Tape

Full Report

Georgia’s Nakobe Dean is a brilliant, instinctive, athletic, aggressive, productive, and versatile linebacker prospect.

Dean is a real three-down linebacker who was by no means pressured off the sector and has the power to be an influence participant in each part of protection.

Dean is a superb communicator within the pre-snap part, usually serving to to line up his teammates and making changes to counter what he sees from the offense. He combines nice soccer IQ and processing pace to make for a really instinctive recreation. Dean virtually all the time makes an correct first transfer, anticipating the move and path of the offense.

He commits rapidly and is explosive when triggering downhill as a run defender. Dean could be very aggressive taking pictures gaps, usually bursting via the road of scrimmage earlier than blockers can get in place to correctly account for him. He exhibits good approach and shocking play power when he does should tackle blockers. Dean’s agility and pace give him good vary in pursuit, and he exhibits nice aggressive toughness working down ball carriers. He’s a tough hitter who does a superb job of getting the ball service on the bottom whereas limiting yards after contact.

Dean exhibits pure consolation when taking part in in area. He rapidly will get good depth and hits his landmarks when dropping into zone protection. He additionally seems snug when man protection assignments take him outdoors the hash marks and he has to play on the boundary. Dean has the athleticism to run with tight ends and working backs in area, good really feel for offensive ideas, and good consciousness to regulate the quarterback. He has an excellent closing burst and is instinctive when breaking on the ball. Dean’s instincts and athleticism give him implausible vary as an off-ball linebacker and he may legitimately be thought-about a “sideline-to-sideline” participant.

Lastly, Dean was regularly used as a blitzer in Georgia’s protection. He does a superb job of disguising his rushes, occasions them properly, and is predictably explosive firing into the backfield. His explosiveness, agility, and pure leverage make him an issue for blockers, and Dean flashes the power to successfully use his palms as a go rusher. He was used as each an inside rusher and off the sting and was efficient from each alignments.

There are few true weaknesses to Dean’s recreation. He clearly lacks prototypical dimension for the place, and groups that maintain strict views on measurable thresholds may transfer him down their board due to it. Nevertheless, he usually makes use of his dimension as an asset, including pure leverage and a small floor to his explosiveness. His lack of dimension does present up sometimes and he can battle to shed locked-in blocks from offensive linemen, or battle to get larger ball carriers on the bottom if he can’t explode into them.

Dean’s aggressiveness – and athleticism – looking the ball can sometimes work in opposition to him. There have been cases the place he ran himself out of performs in opposition to notably fast offensive gamers, or at the very least over-shot his mark and took himself out of excellent place to make a type sort out.

General Grade: 9.1

Projection

Nakobe Dean tasks as a beginning off-ball linebacker with scheme versatility and Professional Bowl upside.

Dean could be on the small facet for some groups, and he most likely shouldn’t be requested to tackle offensive linemen frequently. Nevertheless, his instincts, explosiveness, and play power enable him to play significantly larger than he measures. He may not be a conventional “thumper”, however he’s an influence participant who can have an effect on the sport as a run defender, protection participant, and as a go rusher. Dean is a kind of uncommon linebackers who has true “sideline-to-sideline” vary, and the power to be a playmaker when he arrives. He can break up (or intercept) passes, blow up working performs, or put the quarterback on the bottom.

Dean is a really aggressive defender, and that may work in opposition to him at occasions. Nevertheless, groups will wish to watch out reining in that aggression. Dean’s willingness to commit quick and explode in the direction of the ball is one in all his biggest strengths, and he can be a much less efficient defender with out that edge.

That mentioned, Dean ought to push for a beginning job instantly upon getting into the NFL. He might need to start out out as a “WILL” linebacker, however his soccer IQ and instincts counsel that he will be developed as a “MIKE” linebacker and the chief of a protection.