Nakobe Dean stayed on the NFL Draft board for a long time relative to his talent level.
At least one person that has been around the ex-Georgia linebacker thinks that could burn many teams.
Dean, widely regarded as a first-round talent, slid down draft boards because of a pectoral injury. But he’s an explosive player that possesses the speed necessary to be an every-down back in the NFL, and at 83rd overall he absolutely was worth the flier for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philly GM Howie Roseman actually went down to Georgia during the pre-draft process, and was asking about a handful of different players. Then, someone stopped him.
"At one point, a guy that I'm really close with down there, he says to me, 'The best player on defense is Nakobe Dean and you haven't even asked me about him yet,'” Roseman said Tuesday "on Angelo Cataldi and the Morning Team" on 94 WIP in Philadelphia.
Considering that Georgia defense also boasted Travon Walker, the first overall pick, and plenty of other potential stars on that side of the ball, that’s high praise.
Ultimately, it is a risk to draft someone with present question marks about his health, which Dean himself has downplayed. But he could be a special player, and Roseman seemed to have that on good authority when he made the pick.
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