Rookie LB Nakobe Dean Learning From T.J. Edwards, Kyzir White
PHILADELPHIA – Nakobe Dean knows the hurdles in front of him. Jumping them at this point doesn’t seem feasible, and the rookie Eagles linebacker is OK with that.
Those two hurdles, of course, are T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White, a pair of linebackers who have combined for 72 starts in their careers including all three together so far this season.
“Of course, I want to play,” said Dean earlier this week at his locker. “And do I feel like I can play? Yes. Do I feel like I can be good? Yes. But of course, the two guys in front of me, they’re great.
"And I feel like it’s their turn. I’m glad they’re getting it. And I hope they continue to flourish and continue to play to the best of their ability.”
Edwards and White have managed to gain chemistry quickly on and off the field and rarely do they come off the field.
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Edwards has played 96 percent of the defensive snaps, by far a career-high. He leads the team in tackles with 27, including back-to-back weeks with 10.
White has played 75 percent of the defensive snaps. A year after leading the Chargers in tackles with 144, he is third on the team behind safety Marcus Epps’ 20 with 19.
“He’s a really good dude, funny guy, so he brings a lot to our room,” said Edwards about White. “I think his football intelligence is really high. That’s something I can relate to because I think we both just love the game, love the scheme aspect, love to see how things fit.
“He’s played a lot of ball, so there’s a lot of things he’s played, a lot of things scheme-wise he’s been a part of before, so I think we see the game very similar, and that helps a lot in terms of our communication and corrections and things like that. We’ve done a very good job of being on the same page.”
Meanwhile, Dean has played a grand total of three snaps on defense.
He prepares by asking questions in meetings and watching Edwards and White do their jobs. He also likes to talk to his offensive teammates to see how they see and play things, and he watches NFL games on TV when he can to study various players.
“When I first got to college, I really wasn’t as much of a (question guy),” he said. “I was always curious, but I never asked those kinds of questions when I first got there. But the more comfortable I got in college, the more I asked questions about me knowing what I have to do.
“Now that I’m in the league, I’m not reverting back to being quiet. When I came in, I came in asking a million questions because I want to know.”
The best teachers are right under his nose in Edwards and White as well as LB coach Nick Rallis.
“T.J., I’m not going to talk about the physical or the playmaker, but he’s a true leader,” said Dean. “Him being able to go out there and make the play calls and talk. Me being around ball, I’ve seen that, and he’s one of the best at it. And Kyzir’s going to bring that juice, bring that juice, and that’s contagious.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
