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When Nakobe Dean was taken off the board in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL analysts lauded the Eagles for the pick. However, while the pick had plenty of upside, there are several reasons to keep a level mind when predicting his first 2022 NFL season. On the one hand, he could be a massive hit. On the other hand, he could have a forgettable season.
Here are three reasons why the prospect could excel like a Tesla or stop like one hitting a brick wall.
Nakobe Dean: Taking flight with the Eagles?
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#1 - Boom or bust in college
Above all, the middle linebacker's history in college was boom-or-bust. This sets the stage for similar results in the NFL, especially in his rookie season. According to Sports Reference, the linebacker only had one breakout season in college. While playing at Georgia, the linebacker recorded just 1.5 sacks in his first two seasons. He, also, only earned three total tackles for a loss.
While the linebacker racked up 71 total tackles in one of the two seasons, he was ineffective in getting penetration in his opportunities. Of course, his breakout season was his most recent one, acting as his saving grace. In 2021, he earned 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, and two interceptions. The Eagles are hoping they get the 2021 version of Dean and not the 2019 or 2020 versions.
#2 - Fletcher Cox takes the aggro
Fletcher Cox could help set up Dean for success, regardless of his true abilities. Cox has built a reputation of being one of the leading pass rushers on the Philadelphia Eagles. As a result, opposing offensive lines will focus more on Cox, freeing up the linebacker to get more favorable matchups on rushing downs.
Of course, he will still need to beat an NFL lineman to get a sack in the vast majority of situations, but teams will quickly forget about the rookie. At least, they will rank him lower on the priority list. If he has a big season in 2022, that will change in 2023, but this season, he will be flying under the radar as a third-round pick.
#3 - Size and injuries
According to his NFL Draft Profile, Nakobe Dean is undersized and has a potentially budding injury history in the works. In 2021, he suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder. At 5'11" and 230 pounds, the linebacker could be setting himself up to be flat-backed in the NFL.
Of course, Dean could play bigger than his size with the right attitude and ferocity, but plenty of players in the NFL also take that approach. As a professional tackler, it will become apparent, somewhat quickly, whether he can bring down a 200+ pound missle running toward him down after down. Additionally, it sets him up much worse against 300+ pound linemen.
That said, if Dean can be slippery at a smaller size and get below the linemen, it could play to his benefit at the line of scrimmage.
