Nakobe Dean
{{Short description|American football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Nakobe Dean
| alt =
| caption = Dean in 2021
| current_team = Philadelphia Eagles
| number = 17
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|12|13|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Horn Lake, Mississippi, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 231
| high_school = Horn Lake
| college = Georgia (2019–2021)
| draftyear = 2022
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 83
| pastteams =
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2022}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Super Bowl champion (LIX)
- CFP national champion (2021)
- Butkus Award (2021)
- Unanimous All-American (2021)
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 171
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 3.5
| statlabel3 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue4 = 2
| statlabel5 = Pass deflections
| statvalue5 = 4
| statlabel6 = Interceptions
| statvalue6 = 1
| statlabel7 = Defensive touchdowns
| statvalue7 =
| pfr = DeanNa00
| image =
}}
Nakobe Rashod Dean (born December 13, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, winning the 2021 Butkus Award before being selected by the Eagles in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Early life
Dean played high school football at Horn Lake High School. As a senior, he won the High School Butkus Award.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Khari |date=December 5, 2018 |title=Horn Lake football star Nakobe Dean wins High School Butkus Award as nation's top linebacker |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/12/05/high-school-football-butkus-award-nakobe-dean-horn-lake-alabama-georgia/2213671002/ |access-date=March 18, 2020 |website=The Commercial Appeal |language=en}} As a five-star recruit, Dean committed to Georgia after receiving offers from Ole Miss and Alabama.{{Cite web |last=Daniels |first=Tim |date=December 19, 2018 |title=5-Star LB Nakobe Dean Commits to Georgia over Alabama, Ole Miss |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2775737-5-star-lb-nakobe-dean-commits-to-georgia-over-alabama-ole-miss |access-date=March 18, 2020 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}
College career
As a true freshman for the Georgia Bulldogs football team, Dean recorded 25 total tackles despite battling injuries.{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Bob |date=March 16, 2020 |title=2020 Georgia Spring Football Primer: Monty Rice leads a lean, mean inside linebacking corps – Bulldawg Illustrated |url=https://bulldawgillustrated.com/sports/uga-football-2/2020-georgia-spring-football-primer-monty-rice-leads-a-lean-mean-inside-linebacking-corps/ |access-date=March 18, 2020 |website=Bulldawg Illustrated}} In 2021, he won the Butkus Award given annually to college football's best linebacker and finished the season as a key member of the team that won the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship.{{Cite web |title=Dick Butkus Award Winners |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/butkus.html |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2021 Georgia Bulldogs Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/georgia/2021.html |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2021 Georgia Bulldogs Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/georgia/2021-schedule.html |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}} On January 15, 2022, Dean declared for the 2022 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Kasabian |first=Paul |date=January 14, 2022 |title=Georgia's Nakobe Dean Declares for 2022 NFL Draft After CFP Title Win vs. Alabama |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10023866-georgias-nakobe-dean-declares-for-2022-nfl-draft-after-cfp-title-win-vs-alabama |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}
=College statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| GP ! colspan="4"| Tackles ! colspan="2"| Sacks ! colspan="3"| Interceptions ! colspan="3"| Fumbles ! Scoring | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Cmb | TfL | Sck | Yds | Int | Yds | PD | FR | Yds | FF | TD | ||
| 2019
| 14 || 14 || 11 || 25 || 1.5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 | ||||||||||||||
| 2020
| 10 || 39 || 32 || 71 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 9 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | ||||||||||||||
| 2021
| 15 || 36 || 36 || 72 || 10.5 || 6 || 47 || 2 || 50 || 6 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 1 | ||||||||||||||
| [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/nakobe-dean-1.html Career] | 39 | 89 | 79 | 168 | 14.5 | 7.5 | 56 | 2 | 50 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Professional career
Dean was invited to the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He performed limited positional drills due to an injury (a torn pectoral muscle) that he suffered while training for the NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Towers |first=Chip |date=March 16, 2022 |title='Pec strain' limits Nakobe Dean's participation at UGA's Pro Day |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-bulldogs/pec-strain-limits-nakobe-deans-participation-at-georgias-pro-day/4ZXQ3BI6AFCU5MR74GNA4TEI4E/ |access-date=August 22, 2022 |website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 1/4
| weight = 229
| arm span = 31 7/8
| hand span = 9 1/8
| wonderlic =
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |title=Nakobe Dean Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/nakobe-dean/32004445-4144-1776-3253-6360a938918f |access-date=April 10, 2022 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2022 Draft Scout Nakobe Dean, Georgia NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1029614&DraftYear=2022 |access-date=April 10, 2022 |website=draftscout.com}}{{Cite web |title=Nakobe Dean 2022 NFL Draft Profile |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112153339/https://insider.espn.com/nfl/draft/player/_/id/105543 |access-date=October 17, 2023 |website=insider.espn.com}}
}}
Dean was selected in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.{{Cite web |last=Foley |first=Graham |date=April 29, 2022 |title=Eagles draft LB Nakobe Dean with the No. 83 overall pick |url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/nakobe-dean-nfl-draft-philadelphia-eagles-lb-georgia |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com}} His draft-day slide was considered surprising, but NFL analyst Ian Rapoport pointed out that teams were reportedly concerned about Dean's size, and his decision to opt against getting surgery to repair his pectoral injury. Dean appeared in all 17 games as a rookie and mainly played on special teams.{{Cite web |title=Nakobe Dean 2022 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DeanNa00/gamelog/2022/ |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} Dean's rookie season ended with a trip to Super Bowl LVII where the Eagles lost 38–35 to the Kansas City Chiefs.{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LVII – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs – February 12th, 2023 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202302120phi.htm |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Dean entered the 2023 season as the Eagles starting middle linebacker. He suffered a foot injury in Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve on September 12, 2023.{{Cite web |date=September 12, 2023 |title=Eagles sign Nicholas Morrow to the active roster, Rashaan Evans to the practice squad |url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-sign-nicholas-morrow-rashaan-evans-nakobe-dean |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com}} He was activated on October 14, but placed back on injured reserve on November 16 with a Lisfranc injury.{{Cite web |last=McPherson |first=Chris |date=November 16, 2023 |title=Eagles place Nakobe Dean on Injured Reserve |url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-nakobe-dean-injured-reserve |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com}}
On November 3, 2024, during a Week 9 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dean recorded his first career interception to effectively win the game, 28–23.{{cite web | last=Hunte | first=Sydney | title=Nakobe Dean clinches Eagles win over Jaguars with first career interception | website=Saturday Down South | date=2024-11-04 |
url=https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/georgia-football/nakobe-dean-clinches-eagles-win-over-jaguars-with-first-career-interception/ | access-date=2024-11-07}}
On January 12, 2025, Dean tore the patellar tendon in his left knee after tackling Tucker Kraft of the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card playoff game. Dean was carted off the field and Oren Burks, who forced a fumble on the opening kickoff of the game, subbed in for him.{{Cite web |last=Camenker |first=Jacob |title=Nakobe Dean injury update: Eagles LB feared to have 'significant' knee injury |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2025/01/12/nakobe-dean-injury-update-eagles/77660925007/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} Dean was subsequently placed on injured reserve{{Cite web |last=Erby |first=Glenn |date=2025-01-14 |title=Eagles place linebacker Nakobe Dean on Injured Reserve |url=https://theeagleswire.usatoday.com/2025/01/14/nakobe-dean-injured-reserve-philadelphia-eagles/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Eagles Wire|publisher=USA Today |language=en-US}} and was confirmed to be out for the rest of the playoffs. As a result, the Eagles signed Nicholas Morrow to the practice squad on January 14, while Burks replaced Dean as a starter for the rest of the playoffs.{{Cite web |last=Ignudo |first=Tom |date=2025-01-14 |title=Philadelphia Eagles sign LB Nicholas Morrow to practice squad after Nakobe Dean's season-ending injury - CBS Philadelphia |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/nicholas-morrow-philadelphia-eagles-nakobe-dean/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} Without Dean, the Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LIX, giving Dean his first Super Bowl ring.{{cite web | last=Maaddi | first=Rob | title=Eagles deny the Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat with dominant defense in a 40-22 rout | website=AP News | date=2025-02-10 | url=https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-eagles-chiefs-score-e2ff209c074a00a6faff39750ff048f8 | access-date=2025-02-17}}
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|
| Won the Super Bowl |
| Bold
| Career high |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="4"| Tackles ! colspan="4"| Fumbles ! colspan="6"| Interceptions | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | |
| 2022 | PHI
| 17 || 0 || 13 || 9 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2023 | PHI
| 5 || 4 || 30 || 22 || 8 || 0.5 || 0 | 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2024 | style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|PHI
| 15 || 15 || 128 || 80 || 48 || 3.0 || 1 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 | |||||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/EdwaTJ02.htm Career] | 37 | 19 | 171 | 111 | 60 | 3.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Personal life
Dean is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity and was initiated while at Georgia.
Dean's older brother, Nikolas, played tight end at Ole Miss.{{Cite web |title=Nakobe Dean – 2020 – Football |url=https://georgiadogs.com/sports/football/roster/nakobe-dean/4712 |access-date=March 18, 2020 |website=University of Georgia Athletics |language=en}} In 2022, Dean was named the Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.{{Cite web |last=Elfman |first=Lois |date=April 25, 2022 |title=Paying It Forward |url=https://www.diverseeducation.com/awards-honors/arthur-ashe/2022/male-sport-winners/article/15291246/paying-it-forward |access-date=February 25, 2023 |website=Diverse: Issues In Higher Education |language=en-us}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Footballstats|yahoo=34039|espn=4426340|nfl=nakobe-dean}}
- [https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/team/players-roster/nakobe-dean/ Philadelphia Eagles bio]
- [https://georgiadogs.com/sports/football/roster/nakobe-dean/5425 Georgia Bulldogs bio]
{{Philadelphia Eagles roster navbox}}
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}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dean, Nakobe}}
Category:American football linebackers
Category:Georgia Bulldogs football players
Category:Players of American football from DeSoto County, Mississippi