Eagles getting first-round value at No. 83 will infuriate Cowboys fans

Sorry, Dallas Cowboys fans. The Philadelphia Eagles are having an excellent 2022 NFL Draft. It all started when they selected perhaps the most athletic prospect in the draft given his size, Georgia Bulldogs DT Jordan Davis. Then, Philly shocked the world by acquiring Tennessee Titans start wide receiver A.J. Brown in exchange for the 18th and 101st overall picks. Eagles GM Howie Roseman has certainly received some deserved criticism over the years, but he is thriving during this draft.

The luck and awesome picks for the Cowboys’ enemy continued on Day 2. Perhaps the biggest story of the second and third-round of the 2022 NFL Draft was the surprising fall of Georgia Bulldog linebacker Nakobe Dean. Heading into the draft, Dean was often considered an early first-round pick and was even deemed the best linebacker in the class by many analysts.

Yet, pick after pick was made and Dean’s name wasn’t called. A mid-draft report from Ian Rapoport revealed that there were some health issues and concerns surrounding the national champion. According to reports, NFL teams were worried about Dean’s medicals. The linebacker decided to forego surgery after suffering a “severe pec injury” while training for the draft. He also had a torn labrum and knee issues in the past. Before all of the medical information was revealed, his 5-11 size was also an issue as some teams thought he was a bit small.

However, at some point, it seemed that one of the biggest talents in the draft was sliding a bit too far. Dean was the 2021 Butkus Award winner for college football and a unanimous All-American. In 36 games with Georgia, he collected 168 tackles, 7.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, and seven pass breakups. He was an integral part of Georgia’s national championship defense.

Finally, with the 83rd overall pick in Round 3, the Eagles decided Dean’s potential and talent were too good to pass up. Even if Dean isn’t able to start in 2022, this pick will likely haunt the Cowboys for many years to come. The Bulldog is being referred to as the steal of the draft.

The Eagles getting the steal of the draft in Georgia Bulldogs LB Nakobe Dean will haunt the Cowboys for years to come

The Cowboys NFC East rival got one of the best players in this class who hails from a title-winning college team. They got a first-round talent in Round 3. Once he is healthy, which shouldn’t be too long, teams around the NFL are likely going to regret passing up on this linebacker.

For what it’s worth, after he was finally selected, the new Eagles linebacker told the press he feels that he is perfectly healthy and was shocked by how far he fell:

"“I’m healthy. I’m ready to go. I know minicamp is next week and I expect to be a full participant for that. Why I dropped? It’s not in my control. Nothing I can do. Nothing I could do to make them pick me earlier. I’m grateful and blessed I have this opportunity."

Dean is only 21 years old. Whenever he is healthy, he will likely have many successful years ahead of him. To make matters worse for the Cowboys, Dean now rejoins his Georgia teammate (Jordan Davis) on the Eagles defense. These two will likely terrorize offenses in the NFC East just like they did in the SEC. Sweeping the NFC East is going to be a lot more challenging for the Cowboys in 2022.