Former Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean is expected to take over the starting middle linebacker role for the Philadelphia Eagles. The NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks is excited about how Dean will perform.
In fact, Brooks puts Dean on his all-NFL defensive breakout team. Dean is expected to call defensive plays for the defending NFC champions.
Bucky Brooks details why Nakobe Dean will breakout:
The Eagles’ new green-dot defender could make his mark immediately as a first-time starter. The second-year pro was regarded as a high-IQ defender with excellent communication and playmaking skills at Georgia, but the league did not get a real chance to see him in action last season, as he served an apprenticeship behind veteran LBs Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards. After the free-agent departures of White and Edwards, Dean has assumed signal-calling duties. The undersized linebacker will get a chance to show out as a tackling machine playing behind a monstrous group of defensive tackles (including fellow Georgia products Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter) that will allow him to flow freely to the ball.
Nakobe Dean has a much easier path to playing time this year. He recorded just 13 total tackles as a rookie, but proved to be a great tackler in college. Dean’s experience in Philadelphia’s defensive system will help him have an easier transition to a starting role.
Philadelphia has a ton of Georgia Bulldogs and is expected to be a Super Bowl contender again in 2023.
Bucky Brooks is also expecting a breakout season from former Georgia Bulldog defender Devonte Wyatt.
Green Bay’s transformation from an offense-centric squad to a team sparked by its defense could hinge on Wyatt’s development as an interior disruptor. After contributing in Year 1 as a rotational player behind Jarran Reed and Dean Lowry, the 6-foot-3, 304-pounder should make his mark as a sturdy run stopper with pass-rushing skills. After posting eight pressures, five quarterback hurries and 1.5 sacks in a backup role, Wyatt could double or triple those numbers as a full-time starter at defensive tackle.
The Packers drafted Devonte Wyatt in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft due to his combination of run-stopping ability and pass-rushing ability. Wyatt had a relatively quiet rookie season, but should be in for a larger role in his second year in the NFL.
Devonte Wyatt and Green Bay are entering into a new era after Aaron Rodgers moved to the New York Jets this offseason. The Packers will rely on a strong running game and sound defense to win games in 2023.
