Nakobe Dean was widely expected to be a first-round NFL Draft pick. At the conclusion of Round 2, however, the standout Georgia defender was still available.

Dean’s slide is one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 NFL Draft. While there was some talk that measurables may have kept Dean from being picked in Round 1, those who watched the standout linebacker found it hard to believe he wasn’t worth a pick in either round. Apparently, there are injury concerns.

NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport addressed Dean’s slide, citing a “severe pec strain.”

“Nakobe Dean, one of the best linebackers in college football, still has not been taken,” Rapoport shared Friday night. “My understanding, this is injuries, including a severe pec strain. He opted not to have surgery, which has been the cause for concern for some teams.”

On ABC’s NFL Draft broadcast, ESPN’s Todd McShay also said that he has heard from teams that the concern with Dean is a pec injury.

Considering Dean played in all 39 games of his 3 seasons at Georgia, and at an extremely high level, it seems like an NFL team might want to take a chance on an elite defender.