Philadelphia Eagles: Nakobe Dean Should Be the Favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year
By Hunter Haas
Nakobe Dean is set to become a leader on the defensive side of the ball as a rookie. See what makes him my favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The 2021 Georgia Bulldog defense undoubtedly ranks towards the top of the all-time list. The Eagles somehow landed arguably the two best players from that defense in the same draft class. First, they moved up to No. 13 overall to select defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Due to injury concerns, Dean saw his stock completely tank. He fell all the way to No. 83 overall in the third round, right into the lap of the Eagles. I want to talk about the latter in this article, and address why he should be the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Nakobe Dean Era is about to begin in the City of Brotherly Love.
Nakobe Dean has been regarded as a top talent dating all the way back to grade school. Not only does he possess elite physical traits, he also plays with an edge that many simply do not have. Dean is a true spark plug for a defensive unit, and all you have to do is look back at his time with Georgia for proof. After growing up in Mississippi, Dean committed to Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs over the likes of Ole Miss and Alabama. In 2019 as a true freshman, Dean dealt with injuries the entire season but still managed to play in every game. The 2020 COVID-shortened season is when Dean started making waves on the college football scene.
In 2020, Dean recorded 71 total tackles and flexed his versatility by pressuring the quarterback 13 times. He followed this up with an even better performance in 2021. Dean was the leader in a stacked linebacker room, and he did a little bit of everything for the defense. He more than doubled his quarterback pressures (28) and finished second on the team with six sacks. Georgia went on to win the National Championship and Dean was awarded the Butkus Award, a trophy bestowed upon the best linebacker in the nation.
Dean dealt with a pectoral injury during the NFL Draft process, while also opting out of any potential surgery. This is a major reason why Dean fell in the draft, but he said soon after the Eagles selected him that he is injury-free and will be ready for the season. If true, he is positioned to be the top linebacker on the roster and the best one the franchise has had in quite some time. Assuming Dean is cleared and 100% when week one rolls around, he is my pick to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Obviously it was a setback monetarily, but sometimes when a guy falls in the draft, it really benefits them in the end. Dean landed on a team that just made the playoffs, with a roster that is much improved compared to the nine-win squad from 2021. Most importantly, he should be able to step in and play >90% of snaps.
Dean brings tons of talent to the table and a work ethic to match it, but he’s also a brilliant mind. Dean was a regular on the Honor Roll all through his early years and at Georgia. This supreme intelligence follows him to the gridiron. Dean routinely diagnoses the offensive plays, even before the snap a lot of the time. He has a sixth sense to always know where the play is headed. This is a trait that the Eagles desperately need at linebacker. With all due respect to TJ Edwards, he cannot be the best linebacker on your team if you want to have an above-average unit. General manager Howie Roseman signed Kyzir White away from the Chargers earlier in the off season, giving the Eagles strong No. 2 and No. 3 linebackers.
Nakobe Dean should be what elevates this unit to finally become respectable. Dean’s knack to make a play will result in some gaudy tackling numbers by seasons end. He will be able to rack up tackles in the backfield with his elite play diagnosis ability. Dean will use his sudden burst and surprising twitchiness to put pressure on the quarterback. If he can tally five or six sacks to add to his 100+ tackles, there’s a chance Dean runs away with the award.
The fact that the defense features players like Fletcher Cox, Jordan Davis, and Darius Slay makes life even easier for Dean. He won’t be asked to do too much and will simply need to clean up plays and lead the middle level of the defense. I expect the Eagles to win the NFC East, and my projection for Dean is one of the biggest reasons why. The Defensive Rookie of the Year is typically on the defensive line or in the secondary, but Dean is going to put up a stat line that cannot be denied.