2022 NFL Draft: Todd McShay shares why scouts have questions about Nakobe Dean

Nakobe Dean was the anchor of the Georgia Bulldogs historically great championship season and is one of several players from UGA that will hear their name called in the first two days of the NFL Draft at the end of the month.

ESPN NFL Draft gurus Todd McShay and Mel Kiper recently debated the question of the top linebacker available in draft and the clear top two are Dean and Devin Lloyd of Utah. While Kiper — joins many talent evaluators in giving Lloyd the slight nod — McShay has been clear about how he feels about the Georgia linebacker, even though his opinion hasn’t meshed with the latest concerns he’s hearing from NFL teams.

“Nakobe Dean, I knew I had a higher grade than most people,” the ESPN NFL Draft guru said.

“And I personally think he’s one of the best 20 players in this class and maybe one of the best 15, but there’s concern about the arm length, concern about the speed and concern about the measurables not matching up to the production in college.”

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Dean closed out the 2021 campaign with 72 tackles, just one more than the 71 he recorded in 2020. He was a playmaker in every sense of the word to help UGA capture a national title, finishing the year with six sacks, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and even found the endzone once last season.

Las Vegas currently pegged Dean as the third favorite to be the first Bulldog drafted with odds at +1500. He’s slated behind defensive tackle Jordan Davis (+275) and the clear runaway favorite from last year’s dominant Georgia defense, Travon Walker (-350). In the latest mock draft by McShay agreed Walker will be the first UGA player taken with the second overall pick by the Detroit Lions.

Todd McShay reveals what “blows his mind” about Nakobe Dean ahead of the NFL Draft

While McShay has made it clear where he stands on Dean being a top 10-15 talent in the 2022 NFL Draft, he currently has the UGA star pegged as the No. 21 overall selection to the New England Patriots, even though the draft expert himself agrees he may be alone in the high evaluation.

“I’ve told you before and I’ll say it again, I’m going to die on the Dean hill,” McShay added.

I’m going to have him ranked too high, he’s going to get drafted lower than where I ranked him and will be sitting on the ‘next available list for a long time come Thursday night of the draft.”

One of the more stunning revelations that will interest Georgia fans is the chatter about yet another one of the defensive pieces from the Bulldogs ‘21 dominant defensive unit. McShay has heard several teams that believe another UGA linebacker is catching their eye and could potentially be selected ahead of Dean.

“But I have been told by multiple people, ‘we have his teammate, Quay Walker, who is a really good player but he’s not Dean on tape, higher on our boards’ and that surprised me,” the ESPN analyst added.

“But he’s longer, he’s faster, and they think there’s more upside. So multiple teams are really saying they have Quay Walker ahead of Nakobe Dean, and I don’t know if I thought it was shocking, because it’s kind of been building and I thought something like that could happen when I talk to teams, but I just don’t see that on tape.”

While there is often misinformation and chatter leaked from teams in an attempt to try to hide their cards and steal a player like Dean, it’s obvious McShay believes there’s a legitimate chance the player he views as the clear catalyst and star of that ultra-talented Georgia defense last year could fall out of the first round.

”The best player on that defense, every single game, is Nakobe Dean — yet there’s a legitimate chance as you were alluding to Mel, that he’s still on the board when we finish up Thursday night and waiting on Friday to get his name called in those first-5-7 picks,” McShay exclaimed.

“There is a legitimate chance Nakobe Dean isn’t a first round pick and that absolutely blows my mind.”