Between his small frame and an incomplete athletic profile, Dean has dropped down boards and is now in danger of missing the first round entirely, as if there is collective amnesia about what Dean did on the field.Īs always, Football Outsiders' 2022 NFL draft coverage is presented by Underdog Fantasy!Īt the core, Dean is a sharp, instinctive player who knows how to find the ball, wherever it may be going. Dean then skipped out on doing drills at the NFL combine and was limited at his pro day, both of which were reportedly related to a pectoral strain. Slowly but surely, teams and media remembered that Dean measures in at just over 5-foot-11 and only 229 pounds. The speed, playmaking, and instincts all oozed from his film, and it became clear throughout the season how much of what Georgia did defensively hinged on Dean's excellence versus the run and his prowess as a blitzer versus the pass. A pint-sized missile of a linebacker, Dean was among the most productive and important members of the Georgia defense, a unit that may be the best we have seen in the modern era. NFL Draft - By the end of the college football season, Nakobe Dean looked like a strong candidate to be drafted in the top 15.
