Eagles 1st Reported Combine Meeting Bad News for Nakobe Dean

The 2026 National Football League Scouting Combine is here and early reports have already started to surface about guys the Philadelphia Eagles will be meeting with.

NFL analyst Ryan Fowler reported on X on Monday afternoon that the Eagles reportedly will have a "formal" meeting with LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. on Monday night along with the Green Bay Packers.

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"Sources: LSU LB Harold Perkins Jr. has a formal meeting scheduled with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers this evening," Fowler wrote on X. "Versatile defender who scouts have circled this week in Indy."

The combine is here

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) carries the ball beside Louisiana State Tigers linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (7) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the LSU Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. Oklahoma won 17-13. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two things that are important to note here are the fact that throughout the combine, teams will meet with plenty of players. By the end of the combine, the Eagles likely will meet with at least a handful of guys. Some will be reported. Some likely won't surface until later on in the offseason. It's just the nature of the business. It's also important to note that the meeting hasn't been announced by the team. There's going to be a lot of noise out there, it will be important to attempt to cut through it.

With that being said, Perkins is an intriguing prospect, although the fit doesn't seem to be there on first look. The Eagles are loaded at linebacker with Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell. Nakobe Dean is a pending free agent and it has been speculated already that he could end up being out the door, despite expressing interest in a return, because the Eagles are loaded at the position. The fact that there already has been noise about the Eagles going in a different direction and then the first reported meeting is at the same position isn't great for him.

The first reported meeting with a linebacker is ironic from that perspective. As a player, he's talented. In 2025, he played in 12 games for LSU and had 56 total tackles, four sacks, three interceptions, three passes defended and one fumble recovery. NFL.com's official draft profile for Perkins has him rated at 6.18, which equals: "Good backup with the potential to develop into starter." If the Eagles are going to lose Dean, taking a flyer on someone like Perkins with high upside who could fight for a depth spot wouldn't be the worst idea.

Again, it's far too early to know who the Eagles will draft in April. This is the first of likely many reported meetings.

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