Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean was one of the best defensive players in the entire country in UGA’s national title season.
Dean won the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker, and was named All-America First Team and Captain of the 2021 AFCA Good Works Team.
Dean is now preparing for the 2022 NFL Combine which will run March 1-7.
NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently gave Dean an NFL player comparison while on a call with media:
“Nakobe Dean, I remember (Jonathan) Vilma when he first came into the league and I remember during the scouting process and something that people had concerns about size or this, that or the other and the guy was just dripping with instincts,” Jeremiah said. “Everything was so natural to him. He saw things and was two steps ahead of everybody on the field. That’s who Nakobe Dean reminds me of.”
Dean finished the 2021 season with 72 total tackles, 36 solo tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, two interceptions, five pass deflections, two forced fumbles and one defensive touchdown. In his Bulldogs career, Dean had 168 total tackles, 89 solo tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two interceptions, seven pass deflections, three forced fumbles and one defensive touchdown.
“When you talk about the center of your defense and having that intelligence, the toughness, the leadership, he’s got all that stuff in spades, Jeremiah said. “I think he’s outstanding. He can cover. You see him mirror backs. He’s a real crafty blitzer. In my notes I wrote this guy does everything fast. There’s nothing he does that isn’t fast. He’s probably the greatest disparity in terms of how I have a guy graded and where I have him going because I can’t get a feel for where he’s going to go in the first round. He’s a top-10 player for me.”
The 2022 draft will be held April 28-30.
