NFL Draft Results: Eagles pick Nakobe Dean at No. 83

With the 83rd pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select ... Nakobe Dean, linebacker, Georgia!

This pick is bound to excite Eagles fans. People wanted him to be the pick at No. 53 when they took Cam Jurgens instead ... but he ended up being available in the third round.

That Dean fell this far after previously being considered a potential first-round pick is curious. There seem to be concerns about his medicals:

That being said, it feels like it’s worth taking a risk on Dean at this point. The Eagles desperately need help at this position and Dean was an important contributor the national championship defense. It’s pretty cool that the Eagles are pairing both Jordan Davis and Dean together in Philly.

Dean’s recovery timeline remains to be clarified. When healthy, he figures to compete for a starting linebacker job. T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White currently project as starting linebackers for the Eagles in 2022 but they’re both free agents after this season.

Here’s a scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

Explosive, three-down linebacker with the demeanor and quickness to become a volume tackler while holding down third-down duties at a high level. Dean’s play recognition is a work in progress, which limits reaction time and forces him to deal with more blockers than he’ll see as he gains more experience. Quick feet and plus agility will bring him to ball-carriers at a high rate but a lack of size and length means he’ll need to fine-tune his approach as a tackler to make sure he finishes what he starts. He might lack measurables, but he has the toughness and technique to see a boost in his performance once his play becomes more proactive.

College stats via Sports Reference:

Highlights:

Spider graph via Mockdraftable:

Grade the pick

Remaining Eagles draft picks

1 (13) - DT Jordan Davis

2 (51) - C Cam Jurgens

3 (83) - LB Nakobe Dean

5 (154)

7 (237)

Remaining Eagles needs

Cornerback

Safety

Defensive end

Odds

DraftKings Sportsbook