Dallas Cowboys’ Prospect Spotlight: LB Nakobe Dean

Three years ago, if you were to tell me that linebacker would be a need for the Dallas Cowboys in 2022, I would’ve told you you were crazy. Unfortunately, the regression of Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith (along with his eventual release) have made this position a problem.

In a little bit of good news, LVE has recently taken a team-friendly deal to return to the Cowboys for next season to try to revamp his career. He will most likely start at middle linebacker (or MIKE) next season barring any injury or any other off-season additions (*cough* Bobby Wagner *cough*).

With Vander Esch and young superstar Micah Parsons taking up two linebacker spots, that still leaves one spot left which is currently filled by Luke Gifford. It’s possible that the Cowboys will use the draft to secure someone who may have a better performance than Gifford. One player who could potentially fall into the Cowboys’ lap is Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean.

An overview of potential Cowboys draftee Nakobe Dean

Nakobe Dean was the leader of an insanely talented Georgia defense. He helped captain a defense that allowed the second-fewest yards per game and the fewest points per game (just 9.5 points per game allowed) in the regular season. Sure, that defense had many other stars on it (including three other potential first-round picks), but Dean was a major facet of what made that defense so scary.

We will get into the strengths and weaknesses of his game next, but there’s a reason why he won the Butkus Award in 2021 (an award that Cowboys’ Micah Parsons won at the pro level). For those who don’t know, the award is given to the country’s best linebacker at the high school, college, and NFL levels.

For reference, some past winners of the Butkus Award include Tampa Bay Buccaneer linebacker Devin White, Carolina Panthers legend Luke Kuechly, and Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller. The Georgia Bulldog’s stats also help tell the story. Dean finished with 72 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, two interceptions (including one for a touchdown), and two forced fumbles.

In this article, we will take a look at Dean’s weaknesses, strengths, and how he would fit with the Dallas roster. Let’s get started!

Nakobe Dean’s Weaknesses

Size: The biggest knock on Dean is his physicals. His height and length aren’t ideal for a linebacker, and some say a switch to safety could be more beneficial if the linebacker position doesn’t work out in the NFL. This will also hinder his ability to shed blocks, especially when linemen move up to the second level.

Man Coverage: While most of what linebackers do in coverage includes covering their zone, they are also tasked with covering tight ends and sometimes slot receivers in some man-to-man plays. The Bulldog isn’t great when it comes to man coverage which has to do with losing sight of the ball and (depending on his speed) making up for any lost separation rather than sticking with his man.

Awareness: When you have the lateral movement and speed that Dean has, it can be easy to depend on those attributes to make plays. His awareness isn’t bad, but a lack of awareness and poor pursuit lanes on some plays causes him to overrun the ball-carrier. This should be fixed relatively easily but for now, it is a flaw.

Nakobe Dean’s Strengths

Tackling: One of Dean’s best aspects of his game is his tackling. He is one of the most sure-handed tacklers in the country and hardly misses any tackles in space. Dean has very good speed and range to help track down ball carriers and wraps up nicely with good form. He isefinitely a tough defender to shake.

Run Defending: The Bulldog is exceptional at stopping the run. He’s good at filling his gaps and making tackles in the box. Runners hardly get past him. He has the speed and timing to get around blocks and make stops in the backfield along with not allowing runners to get around him.

Leadership: Arguably, Dean’s best trait is his natural-born leadership. That Georgia defense ran through him, and he is a huge reason that Georgia won the National Championship. His motor fuels others and he always makes sure his defensive line is aligned correctly. Hustle plays are common for Dean, and his motor and leadership are something that can’t be taught.

Athleticism: Dean helps make up for any physical limitations with very good speed, acceleration, and lateral quickness. As you can see below, even when he is on the other side of the field, he can fly to the other side and just as much make a play.

Availability: A huge value for teams is how often the player can play. The Georgia product is capable of playing on all three downs and is useful in blitz and coverage packages. He also has never struggled to stay on the field for any injuries or off-field issues.

Nakobe Dean’s Fit with the Cowboys

Currently, the All-American projects to be a weak-side linebacker (or WILL) in the NFL. Some Cowboys fans may be a bit uneasy about taking a WILL linebacker early when Parsons is already playing there. However, this could actually make things even better.

Generally, the strong-side linebacker (or SAM) is tasked with tackling the running back and lining up on the side with the most offensive personnel. One thing we know as a fact is that Parsons and Dean are both very good and stopping the run. Luckily for Dan Quinn, Parsons is good at literally everything, so it doesn’t matter if Dean is limited to playing the WILL.

This would add more versatility as Micah can be unleashed to play anywhere rather than just playing the WILL. He showed last season he can move to the SAM, or come off the edge, which can help ease the loss of Randy Gregory next season.

Nakobe Dean’s Draft Projection

About a month away from the draft, it is looking like Dean could fall anywhere in the second half of the first round. There are some teams before the Cowboys with needs at linebacker, most notably the Philadelphia Eagles who pick three times in the top 20. If there is any major threat to Dean not falling to the Cowboys, it would be their NFC East foe.

If the Eagles pass up on the Georgia star, linebacker isn’t a glaring need for any of the rest of the teams picking before America’s team. I imagine in the scenario of best-player available, Dean would be one of Will McClay and the Jones’s top options at 24. This would be a garner a ton of excitement from Cowboy fans.