NFL Expert: "I'm Dying on the Dean Hill"

NFL Draft Expert Todd McShay has made no bones about it during the NFL Draft process, he's all in on Georgia's Nakobe Dean

Quick, raise your hand if you've heard the following: 

"The NFL is placing value on linebackers with length." 

Darius Leonard, Micah Parsons, and Fred Warner are names that ring when discussions break out surrounding the "best young linebackers" in the NFL. They also all happen to be 6'3 or taller. 

That preference for prospects with length and measurables is nothing new to the NFL. In fact, the stance on such stereotypes is as old as time in the scouting world. And despite numerous examples of "undersized" linebackers per the new NFL preferred standard like Bobby Wagner, Eric Kendricks, and Roquan Smith, the NFL is still falling victim to this prism of scouting. 

You're seeing it currently with Georgia linebacker and Butkus Award Winner Nakobe Dean. Dean's NFL Draft stock is being impacted by a question on measurements and ESPN NFL Expert Todd McShay isn't having it. He's prepared to "Die on the Dean hill" 

I’m gonna die on the Nakobe Dean hill and I’m just fine with it! pic.twitter.com/eajMyzgQft

— Todd McShay (@McShay13) April 11, 2022

"Nakobe Dean, I knew I had a higher grade on than most people. And I personally think he's one of the 20 best football players in this class, maybe one of the best 15. But there's concern about the arm length, concern about the speed, concern about the measureables not matching up to the production at college, but I've told you before, and I'll say it again, I'm gonna die on the Dean hill. That's fine with me. I'm gonna have him ranked too high, he's gonna get drafted way lower than where my ranking is gonna be" - Todd McShay dying on the Dean hill.

McShay would go on to say that there's legitimate buzz that Quay Walker could be drafted ahead of Dean and that several teams he's spoken to actually have Walker ranked higher. Saying, "There's a legitimate chance that he's still on the board late Thursday night and we are waiting all day Friday to get his name called in the first five to seven picks. There's a legitimate chance that Nakobe Dean isn't a First Round pick and that blows my mind."

Dean started this draft process as seemingly a lock to be a top-15 pick after the culmination of his Junior season. Though as the draft process nears a close, it's Dean's name that seems to continuously drop down these rankings. 

Most people who watched this defense closely in 2021 are likely on that same hill McShay is on. 

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