Nakobe Dean, Georgia LB, receives high NFL praise from Sam Acho and Chris Mortensen
By Keith Farner
Published:
Nakobe Dean, the former Georgia linebacker, is turning heads in the NFL as the draft approaches, and the likes of ESPN’s Sam Acho and Chris Mortensen have promoted Dean as a player to watch.
During a SportsCenter segment on Monday morning, Acho listed all the ways Dean excels as a linebacker as he talked over highlights from last season.
“It doesn’t matter how many guys you put on Nakobe Dean, he’s going to make a play,” Acho said. “He’s a sideline to sideline linebacker … Nakobe Dean can do it all.”
Mortensen picked up on those comments, and added some of his own, including a comparison to Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis. Mortensen called Dean the best player on a great defense, and he’s one reason why Georgia will dominate the NFL Draft.
Mortensen called him an undersized off-ball linebacker, and not a workout warrior. Lewis, similarly, was an undersized linebacker ultimately picked late in the first round.
Nakobe Dean being talked up by @TheSamAcho on @SportsCenter. Sam knows. A consensus from a handful of veteran personnel people: Georgia will dominate the #NFLDaft with several defenders but that good teams get back to the film. Dean was the best player on a great defense.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) April 18, 2022
@NakobeDean is not a “workout warrior.” He bypassed running the 40. He’s standing on his film. He’s undersized and off-ball linebacker.
Remember the 1996 draft. Ray Lewis was undersized LB and ran two 40’s in the 4.6 range. He was the 26th pick by @Ravens in that draft.— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) April 18, 2022
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
