2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia

The Georgia defense is loaded with NFL quality talent, and LB Nakobe Dean is no exception.

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Feb 27, 2022 8:00 AM EST

In this story:

Nakobe Dean, LB

Height: 6’0”
Weight: 225 lbs.
Class: Senior
School: Georgia

A former five-star recruit out of Horn Lake, Mississippi, where he attended Horn Lake High School, Dean was the number one recruit in Mississippi, and the number two ILB recruit in the country during the 2019 cycle.

He was also 247 Sports’ 402 all-time recruit. He was a main component of Georgia’s dominant defense that won the National Championship during the 2021 season. He also won the Butkus award in 2021.

Notables

Dean was highly productive and a true leader for the Bulldogs. He was a unanimous first-team All-American, first-team All-SEC, and he was a team captain on a loaded Georgia defense.

Dean recorded 72 tackles, 10.5 for a loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions to go along with five passes defended in 2021. He ended his productive three years at Georgia with 168 tackles, 13.5 for a loss, 7.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven passes defended, and 48 pressures (31 came in 2021).

Strengths

Excellent athlete - immediate acceleration 0-100
Incredibly explosive at the second level
Can instantaneously start, stop, and change direction
Rare play speed, runs around like his hair is on fire
Plays with controlled reckless abandon
Can flow and scrape laterally, great overall agility
Positions himself well within the box when he diagnoses quickly
Good flexibility in his lower half allows him to bend around contact as blitzer
Has sideline to sideline speed - is a three-down linebacker
Plays downhill and provides excellent pop on contact
Does a solid job using his hands and adequate length to keep his chest clean
Great reactive quickness when diagnosed
Excellent tackler - runs through offensive player and drives legs
Has coverage skills; solid awareness in zone, good athletic ability to play man
Very good feet and hip fluidity to drop into coverage and find landmarks or play man
A great blitzer with excellent pursuit and tracking skills
Isn’t scared to embrace contact - elite competitive toughness and leadership

Can Improve

Listed at 6’0, but that could be a stretch
Doesn’t possess great length
Limited tackle radius due to sub-par length
Is a smart player, but was fooled by backfield movement
Instincts with diagnosing were a bit inconsistent
Could do a better job shedding blocks, length and size concerns could be an issue in this area
Can be overaggressive when heading downhill
Played on a team with one of the best defensive fronts in college football history

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Summary

Overall, Nakobe Dean is a potential first-round selection despite his lack of size, which will be an issue for some NFL teams. Dean’s ability to trigger downhill, find ball carriers, and deliver physical hits will be valued.

He’s also an adept blitzer who can effectively play man or zone coverage. Dean is a three-down linebacker with some limitations that he can overcome, due to his work ethic, athletic ability, and the punch he packs into his hardly 6’0” frame.

GRADE: 6.6