And to follow it up, Dean and Georgia avenged their earlier defeat by overpowering Nick Saban's Crimson Tide machine to win it all. "Then my mother and father they were in military so my mother used to go to the VA and I used to see veterans amputees, missing arms, missing legs, things like that. Dean says later that night. "I feel like my mindset is second to none, unmatched. Here is a scouting report and three things to know about Dean: Dean was the definition of a traditional linebacker on defense for Georgia last season, taking 582 snaps in the box for the national champions. He was inspired and wanted to help make prosthetics for veterans in need. You almost get the sense that if he had to, Dean would find just as much fulfillment here as he does on the field. ", From the other end of the table, Dean smiles and quips, "Coach them up, mama. Feldman: Nakobe Dean didn't work out at the NFL combine, but NFL coaches love the 'super bright' linebacker. section: | slug: eagles-select-nakobe-dean-scouting-report-three-things-to-know-about-philadelphias-newest-linebacker | sport: football | route: article_single_special | Greaves: I was relieved to lose after 70-match win streak! Aerospace Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Drafting, Mechanical Engineer. First-round defensive tackle Jordan Davis will wear No. I suspect it'll be pretty high. Clemson QB D.J. And listen to the DawgsHQ crew on our podcast Dawg Walk Talk onSpotifyandApple Podcasts. Thats not something he would shy away from. Her goal was two-fold -- raise money for the football program and bring officers into a shared space with a football team that was largely Black. "It's just helped me understand scheme and strategy faster," Dean says. Sept. 26, 2020; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) looks in the Arkansas Razorbacks backfield during the second quarter at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. You definitely felt that from him, and we knew that about him before we even drafted him. Much of Deans values were instilled by his mother, Neketta, who served for many years as a director of community affairs for the Tunica County sheriffs department near his hometown of Horn Lake, Mississippi. Follow Bruce on Twitter @BruceFeldmanCFB. But for now, players are able to transition to the pros with some experience, knowledge, connections and at least some money on their side. "Words can't describe how proud I am, just coming where I come from, growing up that's all we talked about, being able to make it out and then come back and give back to my community so I do look forward to going back whenever I can," he says. It's unmatched not just on the field, but in life. Dean reported for Eagles rookie minicamp on Friday with a wide smile on his face. Nakobe Dean (@NakobeDean) January 11, 2022. Personal: Full name NAKOBE RASHOD DEANmajor: Mechanical Engineeringrecipient of the Ken and Jody Jackson Family Scholarship, as well as the Ramsey Scholarship for Academic & Athletic Excellenceolder brother, Nikolas, played tight end at Ole Miss. Its also going to be such an added luxury to have Dean going through the whole NFL experience with Jordan Davis, his good friend and former college teammate at Georgia. His goal? Dean has a serious drive to help others with his ingenuity and work ethic, and hes had it for quite some time.I feel like I want to work in prosthetics. . Schumann returning to Georgia, Georgia's Nakobe Dean, Jordan Davis can transform Eagles' defense, Barnwell: Georgia just produced the most valuable college draft class ever. Dean is majoring in mechanical engineering. "When NIL deals started rolling in, my priorities were having them still let me focus on football and whether there was a way to give through the deals," Dean says. On Monday, he took a knee on the field after the game and bowed his head. Stroud keeps God first as he leads Ohio State, College Football Playoff National Championship, Former NFL RB Peyton Hillis praises Yahweh, expected to make full recovery after swimming incident, SS PODCAST: NFL brothers Cody & Jacob Hollister on living for Jesus as pro athletes, WATCH: I ONCE WAS NFL Wife Kristin Young, TRANSFORMED PODCAST: Scott Hanson Host of NFL RedZone, Life in baseball teaches Gari Meacham to trust God and serve others, SS PODCAST: Oklahoma pitcher Jordy Bahl, coach JT Gasso on softball, faith, success, TABLE FORTY PODCAST: Reading through the Bible in a year - Week 9, Daily Devotional: Wednesday, March 1 - Leave It In The Past, Quincee Lilio baptized amid Oklahoma softball's culture of winning & faith. Deans presence is critical for Georgias defense. I'm most intrigued by Dean's Wonderlic score when he goes through the draft process. The star linebacker was a straight-A student throughout his high school career. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Led by junior Nakobe Dean, this is a really, really solid group. Academic standout. Dean left Georgia boasting a 3.5 GPA and has vowed to finish his mechanical engineering degree, which is roughly two semesters short of completion. Even though the purpose of this trip is for Dean to show the kids a little more about engineering in hopes of one day improving diversity in the field, it's Dean who is the kid in a candy shop. Dean has been described as "selfless' and a culture changer." It wasn't about the money; Dean simply wanted to be the best in every avenue of his life. Classes are harder. The Georgia Bulldogs have been nothing short of magnificent on the defensive side of the ball this season. He also had 31 QB hurries, six pass breakups and two interceptions. On3 is a registered trademark of On3 Media, Inc. Second-round center Cam Jurgens will wear No. Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M, Baylor, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Iowa, Memphis, Michigan, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, Ole Miss, South Alabama, Stanford, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt all wanted his services. Georgia was second in total defense (254.4 yards per game) and ranked third nationally in passing yards allowed (172.7 yards per game) and in rushing defense (81.7 yards per game) in the regular season. Dean has made it there, though. Please check your email for a confirmation. Georgia junior inside linebacker Nakobe Dean was the surprise recipient of the 37th Butkus Award on Sunday. I have the passion to learn new things daily. The type of three-down playmaking linebacker you want today. Dean's mother is a veteran of the United States military. As the hum of machines settles into the backdrop of pipes and giant vats set the scene, Dean studies samples of biodegradable straws and asks one of the company's founders questions about the process. ", How Eagles' Nakobe Dean embodied the new life of a college football star, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, The Turnover Luck Index: Rating every 2022 team, from USC to Rutgers, Stoops: QB Leary (pec) 'close to full go' for UK, Hall of Fame coach Ault named to CFP committee, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, NCAA panel eyes shorter football games in 2023, Ex-Vols staffers agree to show-cause penalties, UNC hires ex-Browns HC Kitchens as assistant, Kiper's updated NFL mock draft: Who's moving up for a QB? Dean archives bits and pieces from the games of current NFL linebackers, from the Tennessee Titans' Zach Cunningham and the way he takes on blocks, to Roquan Smith's open-field tackling with the Chicago Bears and how Indianapolis Colts star Darius Leonard is able to dispossess ball-carriers. Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 6, 2022. FA Cup QFs: Kompany returns to Man City with Burnley, Grimsby at Brighton, Fury calls for Paul to honour deal | Pay up!, Toney 'shocked and disappointed' over six-month ban claims. In 13 games this season, he has recorded 61 tackles, five sacks and two interceptions, including a pick-six. INDIANAPOLIS Earlier this month, the national champion Georgia Bulldogs turned the NFL Scouting Combine into their own showcase of freaky athleticism. That defense is led by junior inside linebacker Nakobe Dean, whos a team captain and the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the nations top linebacker. . I feel like I definitely enjoy talking ball with them. "It's. I even wrote that his leadership skills and engineering prowess made him the Tony Stark of Georgia footballs National Championship defense. Young threw for 369 yards and a touchdown, but he also tossed two interceptions his first collegiate game with multiple picks the second of which was returned 79 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory for the Bulldogs. Magnificent Malan ton steers England to victory in tense chase, Sterling's camp dismiss reports of Chelsea unrest amid Arsenal links, Nakobe Dean interview: On becoming a doctor, mechanical engineering and winning a National Championship with Georgia, Due to your consent preferences, youre not able to view this, Exclusive: Meet the NFL Draft quarterback who owes his grandma new windows. The Dean kids would not only shadow their mom through her endeavors, but get involved, too. Know your personnel. 47. He's a 4.0 GPA engineering majorhe's one of the premier linebackers in all of college footballand here he is with kip-up in full pads Nakobe Dean is ELITE! Transfer Centre LIVE! As the TV crew breaks down Tom Brady highlights -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing the New York Giants, who have two Georgia alums, J.R. Reed and Tae Crowder -- Dean watches intently. "I feel like my mindset is second to none. I always wanted to help somebody, I always wanted to have a job where I could help, so I thought 'I could be a doctor, that would be perfect'. Dean underwent surgery for his labrum injury following the Peach Bowl in early January. When the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Nakobe Dean, they knew about his hard-nosed playing style and confident leadership. Hes an absolute monster, man, one college offensive coordinator who played Georgia late in the season told The Athletic. | Ahmed El Bannany . You work to the end, we saw all the hard work we put in work out.". Next Pats Podcast:Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean explains why he'd thrive with the Patriots |Listen & Follow|Watch on YouTube, "Growing up, my mother's team was the Patriots. He can be found with a book in his hand before going to bed, too. My mom is a big Belichick fan," Dean said. That's my thing.". I want to get into designing prosthetics, he said, but I am open because I know there are a lot of avenues you can get into with mechanical engineering.. Life is busier. On the field, he has been one of the best defenders in the country, winner of the Butkus award, two games away from a national championship and a likely first-round selection in the upcoming NFL draft. "He's a great player, I like the way he was versatile, he's got the size to be an outside backer and rush off the edge, but also take a step back and be a middle linebacker, so his versatility speaks volumes," he said. Nakobe Dean reacts after a play against Arkansas. He didnt love the chemistry class he took, so he decided on mechanical engineering: I was interested in prosthetics, how they work and the design of them, so I just stuck to that.. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. I had great people around me and we were able to execute a plan," former Oregon defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux tells ESPN. Along with his smarts, Dean believes he can bring plenty more to an NFL locker room. Dean, who is a mechanical engineering major, slips on a fluorescent green hard hat and tilts it forward just enough so that, somehow, it looks cooler on him than it does on anyone else in the room. Advertisement. The defense that ranked first in the country in points allowed (9.5) and second in the nation in yards allowed (253.9) held the reigning national champs to just one touchdown. With serving others being a regular occurrence during his childhood, Dean continued serving others even when the NCAAs new name/image/likeness deals allowed him to earn money. Dean was a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Georgia with a 3.55 GPA. Kayvon Thibodeaux's NFL fate is a mystery - but why? Dean can be your general and your enforcer, with the lightning acceleration to close space in an instant, the lateral smoothness and diagnosis to be effective in coverage, finisher power to rattle tight ends and running backs, and gap accuracy and timing to rush and stunt as a blitzer in the way so common to Kirby Smart's Bulldogs defense. . Dean became the first ninth-grader Boyette ever started on varsity. A lot a lot. Those doubled once Georgia got to No. 2023 On3 Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Join the Heavy on Eagles newsletter here! Dont be surprised if Dean is running someones defense as a rookie. "We know all the hard work we put in, we're living our dream, being able to make it to the NFL. Dean recorded 71 tackles and 1.5 sacks last season. Its a blessing that Im in this position., RELATED STORIES: It was the defense who kept us in this game, said that former walk-on, QB Stetson Bennett, in his postgame press conference, while we were stumbling over our own feet the entire first half and then starting out in the second half. Watch all three days of the 2022 NFL Draft unfold on Sky Sports NFL, April 28-30, starting with live build-up to day one from 9pm on Thursday, April 28, with the first picks expected to be made just after 1am. As the 19th-best player in the class of 2019, Dean had his pick of the litter when it came to college football programs. Dean graduated high school with a 4.3 GPA and carried a 3.55 GPA in mechanical engineering at Georgia. "I can't look at football and not think, 'What was supposed to happen right there?' One prospect who could be the perfect fit in Foxboro is Georgia's Nakobe Dean. Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean is expected to go in the first-round of the Draft on Thursday night, Nakobe Dean and mother, Neketta Dean, left, during Georgia's Pro Day. Georgia allowed just 10.2 points per game (regular season and playoffs), the fifth-best scoring defense since 2000. Dean was a Mechanical Engineering major at the University of Georgia with a 3.55 GPA. "Growing up, I was always able to understand the little stuff coaches wanted me to do on certain plays quicker than most.". LB Nakobe Dean Before he was drafted 83rd by the Eagles in the 2022 NFL Draft, Nakobe Dean was a student-athlete, maintaining both an impressive 3.55 GPA in mechanical engineering and a reputation as college football's best linebacker. He would become a brains and brawn asset on the football field, a reconnaissance drone, a code-breaker and land soldier with the IQ and explosiveness as the most accomplished off-ball linebacker at the 2022 NFL Draft. THE FOLLOWING DAY, a few hours before the turkey giveaway, the Deans are back at the homeless shelter. Dean left Georgia boasting a 3.5 GPA and has vowed to finish his mechanical engineering degree, which is roughly two semesters short of completion. Deans measurables in Indianapolis were modest by NFL linebacker standards: 5-foot-11, 229 pounds with 31 7/8-inch arms, but his film is elite. Not even the gargantuan demands of a NFL career. "You do all kind of crazy workouts, it would get to the point where the workout would be so crazy you're questioning 'why are we working out like this?'. 83 overall. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. So my mother instilled it in me at a young age and it stuck with me.". Dean, who was projected as a first-round pick, fell amid concerns of the linebacker declining surgery on a severe pectoral strain while working out this offseason. Those two soldiers have been through quite a few wars together. The most important? He understands things he gets it, and he plays super fast.. Where is Georgia? 17 . Nakobe is different in general. "So I used that, I actually wanted to go into the field of prosthetics with it. Job specializations: Engineering. Dean was considered to the top linebacker in the class of 2019. What comes second nature to Dean is what Neketta has been doing her whole life. This seeming omnipresence has been there from the beginning, and it's easy for Dean and those around him to draw a line from the way his brain works in the classroom to how it does on the field. (Links below Apple listeners tap here)He practically gave his body to help Georgia win the title last season.I even wrote that his leadership skills and engineering prowess made him the Tony Stark of Georgia footballs National Championship defense.But I had no idea how accurate those passions are. "None of this would have been possible or as impactful without the five to 10 NIL deals he has," Neketta says. We put our running back in fast motion and threw him a swing screen. UGA Football Star Nakobe Dean - 4.0 GPA, Mechanical Engineering Major. Running someones defense as a rookie, mama quite a few wars together of... The 19th-best player in the season told the Athletic showcase of freaky.! Surprise recipient of the table, Dean believes he can be found with a wide smile on face. Georgia Bulldogs have been through quite a few hours before the turkey giveaway, the fifth-best defense. Drafted him 1.5 sacks last season ) May 6, 2022 plays super fast.. Where is Georgia 's Dean... 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