Brad Boyette, Dean's high school coach at Horn Lake High in Mississippi, remembers showing up to the annual practice the high school would hold with the eighth-graders from the local middle school and being immediately taken by Dean's ability to pick up not just drills, but coverages that would normally take kids at his level a few days of practice. Later that night, when Dean is able to rejoin following practice, film sessions, training room work and positional meetings, he is told how the impromptu giveaway went. The first two years provide a good grounding in the broad fundamentals of mechanical engineering science and engineering design. When Horn Lake made it to the state title game that season, Dean was reading opponents' plays to perfection. And the 2021 Butkus Award Winner won the first day by supplying one of the most memorable answers ever given by a rookie. "I'm going to bring that winning mentality to the NFL, my leadership," he explains. They'd go to nursing homes and bring gifts and spend time playing games with those there. He definitely showed that today, and he showed that yesterday in our meetings., Former UGA teammates Nakobe Dean and Jordan Davis arrive together for their first Eagles practice, (via @DZangaroNBCS) pic.twitter.com/OdgNu3Nwcj. Instead, it was like a one-yard gain.. The Philadelphia Eagles selected Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft at No. Become a member of DawgsHQ today. The defending Super Bowl champions Los Angeles Rams have released a Hollywood-style trailer ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. #Eagles rookie LB Nakobe Dean said he will be a full participant during the team's rookie minicamp this . "Growing up, I was always able to understand the little stuff coaches wanted me to do on certain plays quicker than most.". Just things like that kind of help me basically -- it's like a puzzle piece, you kind of put it together and it definitely helps me out a lot.". Can counter negative plays on film with splash plays. You have to remember, he didnt even go through spring ball with us this past year because of injury. Editor's note: This story originally published on Dec. 29, 2021. "Some kids mature early and they're physically ready, but there's no way they can handle the playbook and the calls and all the things that are going on," Boyette says. What comes second nature to Dean is what Neketta has been doing her whole life. Career Highs Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba praises God after record-setting Rose Bowl We are seeking an enthusiastic, energized, and experienced Head of . It was never sports. 17; sixth-round linebacker Kyron Johnson gets No. Philadelphia Eagles rookie linebacker Nakobe Dean was a mechanical engineer major at the University of Georgia. Dean became the first ninth-grader Boyette ever started on varsity. "I feel like my mindset is second to none. Every step of the way, I thanked Him for putting me in this position, putting my team in this position, and I just thank Him for everything.. Entering Mondays College Football Playoff National Championship Gamein Indianapolis, Georgia had a former walk-on at quarterback while Alabama was led by the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. | Ahmed El Bannany . Navigating it has been both a challenge and an opportunity. Nakobe is both of those, said former Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, now Oregons head coach. In the midst of all the hoopla, Dean still can't turn off the part of his brain that gravitates toward the ball. Theres still a chance I might pursue a pre-med [degree] depending on if I feel like doing chemistry and everything when I get back to school. Watch all three days of the 2022 NFL Draft unfold on Sky Sports NFL, April 28-30, starting with live build-up to day one from 9pm on Thursday, April 28, with the first picks expected to be made just after 1am. That defense is led by junior inside linebacker Nakobe Dean, whos a team captain and the winner of the 2021 Butkus Award, given to the nations top linebacker. The watch parties have become vehicles to get game tickets for local kids as well as the canned foods for families in need. Skip Ad Skip Ad All Videos Championship All Access - Back to Back Smartville is a rapidly growing renewable energy company located in sunny Carlsbad, CA. That was enough to know what kind of player he has in his locker room. Dean tallied six sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles last season with the champion Bulldogs. Offenses are more complex. He would become a brains and brawn asset on the football field, a reconnaissance drone, a code-breaker and land soldier with the IQ and explosiveness as the most accomplished off-ball linebacker at the 2022 NFL Draft. "I feel like we set the bar, and now there's going to be more opportunities, athletes are going to be more confident taking them. One of my dreams was to be successful in the NFL so I feel like we'll be more proud than it being a weird feeling (being on different teams).". UGA football's Nakobe Dean receives NFL player comparisons Share this article James Morgan Dean has impressive instincts, football intelligence and is extremely fast. Dean has been recognized for his performance as a Butkus Award semifinalist and a midseason All-American by ESPN and CBS Sports. A day later, another NFL coach gushed about Dean, describing him as everyone youre looking for mentally in a linebacker., You can tell hes really been well-coached, said the coach, but you can also tell hes just a super bright kid, and it really translates on the field for him. His pressure to the quarterback is excellent, generating 31 of them in 2021 -- sixth among linebackers in the nation. Also in the new episode: Perrybreaks down what makes Dean so special and what hed bring to the Patriots' defense. "We don't want people going home with seven peanut butters," Neketta says. "Growing up nobody pushed sports to me, nobody," he explains. As bigger brands settle into the NIL game, boosters get more involved and players get more creative, the money is bound to get bigger, Soskin notes. On Monday, he took a knee on the field after the game and bowed his head. Stroud keeps God first as he leads Ohio State. But things are indeed different now. Youre running and hitting for two or three hours. Dean has great instincts and speed, but he missed Georgias spring practice in 2021 with a torn labrum. I had great people around me and we were able to execute a plan," former Oregon defensive lineman Kayvon Thibodeaux tells ESPN. Dean was a five-star recruit out of Horn Lake High School in Horn Lake, Mississippi. Copyright University of Georgia Wire 2023. Dean is projected to be the leader of Georgias stout linebacker room. I have good communication and time management skills. THE FOLLOWING DAY, a few hours before the turkey giveaway, the Deans are back at the homeless shelter. Dean was considered to the top linebacker in the class of 2019. Dean, a mechanical engineering major with a 3.5 GPA, was the first name mentioned when I asked one coach what was the most impressive interview hed done at the combine. Nakobe Dean took his official visit to the University of Alabama this weekend and was thoroughly impressed. Dean's mother is a veteran of the United States military. As the Deans walk outside, the woman from the shelter turns to another man who's standing by the door. Now, though, Dean can do all of those things and actually start and help fund internships for student-athletes right away, while also discussing the possibility of investing in the company in the near future. Dean reported for Eagles rookie minicamp on Friday with a wide smile on his face. "I feel like my mindset is second to none, unmatched. "They were community service kids," she says. A mechanical engineering major, Dean carries a 3.55 grade point average. INDIANAPOLIS Earlier this month, the national champion Georgia Bulldogs turned the NFL Scouting Combine into their own showcase of freaky athleticism. Georgia allowed just 10.2 points per game (regular season and playoffs), the fifth-best scoring defense since 2000. ", From the other end of the table, Dean smiles and quips, "Coach them up, mama. "It's just helped me understand scheme and strategy faster," Dean says. Alabama QB Bryce Young wins Heisman, thanks his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ This seeming omnipresence has been there from the beginning, and it's easy for Dean and those around him to draw a line from the way his brain works in the classroom to how it does on the field. At both the homeless shelter and the Boys & Girls Club, staff members are quick to point out how, in the past, athletes from the area have been able to volunteer their time but not their resources in this fashion. They're getting a tour of the facility and seeing the bed that Dean is sponsoring. It was kind of my thing. The guy works extremely hard and watches a lot of film, asks a lot of questions, but its truly the way the guy has been wired since his recruitment, said Lanning. "That's Kobe Dean," she tells him. He boasts the best speed among linebackers in the 2022 class, and that's a quality New England certainly could use on the defensive side of the ball. Third year Mechanical Engineering student at The University of Georgia Memphis Metropolitan Area. Dean archives bits and pieces from the games of current NFL linebackers, from the Tennessee Titans' Zach Cunningham and the way he takes on blocks, to Roquan Smith's open-field tackling with the Chicago Bears and how Indianapolis Colts star Darius Leonard is able to dispossess ball-carriers. "You do all kind of crazy workouts, it would get to the point where the workout would be so crazy you're questioning 'why are we working out like this?'. Linebacker Nakobe Dean is one of the primary reasons the Georgia defense has been a brick wall. His versatility will be attractive to NFL teams, and he may be a highly touted . We take a humble approach and we are thankful to have any invites to go play anywhere.. It's unmatched not just on the field, but in life. "We gotta check the dates on the cans, and if the cans have dents, throw them out," she says. "When NIL deals started rolling in, my priorities were having them still let me focus on football and whether there was a way to give through the deals," Dean says. Growing up, my mom is a veteran. Dean took that, and decided to build a career on both. Please check your email for a confirmation. My mom is a big Belichick fan," Dean said. Competed in football, baseball, basketball and track in high school. To nearly every community event she worked, she brought her kids. "Being a football player here, it's kind of hard to figure out internships or co-ops if you want to do something else besides play," Dean says. "We know all the hard work we put in, we're living our dream, being able to make it to the NFL. Dean had a 3.5 GPA at Georgia in mechanical engineering, but he remains about two semesters shy of his degree, which he has said he intends to complete. Dean says later that night. His reward was the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in college football. The most important? Schumann returning to Georgia, Georgia's Nakobe Dean, Jordan Davis can transform Eagles' defense, Barnwell: Georgia just produced the most valuable college draft class ever. After all, the junior linebacker has a 3.5 GPA while majoring in mechanical engineering for a reason. No matter what kind of resources their family had, her grandmother used to make them donate their time, at the very least. He smiles. Clemson QB D.J. He was discussing his future plans, including a desire to possibly pursue a medical career after he goes back to school to complete his engineering degree. This meant every time there was a community event, everyone knew Neketta's kids would be there. He pulls one of the kids aside and tells him about how some of the machines work. While Dean grew up, he saw how often she visited the VA and spoke with disabled veterans. "I think it's great what they're doing, but it's worth noting that we're now counting on these 21-year-olds who are making sometimes tens of thousands of dollars to be the ones that are giving back and doing good," Soskin says. There, she stood not just handing things out but talking to people about whatever was going on in their lives. 2020: Semifinalist for the Butkus Award, which recognizes the nations best linebackermade great progress in his second seasonstarted all 10 games and played 76 percent of Georgias total defensive snaps in the regular season, tops among linebackersthe Bulldogs' leading tacklerwith 71 total stops and 13 QB pressurescareer-high 15 tackles vs. Florida, 14 stops in the Bulldogs' win at Kentucky and 12 more in victory over Mississippi Stateteam-high seven stopsin Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl win over Cincinnatialso had four QB pressures vs. the Bearcatsone of his seven tackles was a key 2nd-down stop on UC's final drivehad four tackles and a QB pressure in win over Auburnthree solo stops and a QB pressure vs. Tennesseeled team in tackles with a then-career-best seven stops, including an assisted tackle for a 2-yard loss vs. Arkansasalso credited with two QB pressures vs. the Razorbackshad five stops, including a QB sack for a 7-yard loss, and three QB pressures vs. Alabamaearned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll for Fall 2020. Its a blessing, he said. "He's a math whiz," Neketta says. Looks like I have a new favorite player . As a 15-year-old, he could hang with 18-year-olds physically and gain an edge mentally with the way he viewed the game. "I took my education just as serious as I took my sports," Dean said. We put our running back in fast motion and threw him a swing screen. Aerospace Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Drafting, Mechanical Engineer. 6 Cincinnati in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. 51; third-round linebacker Nakobe Dean gets No. Members of the Bulldogs defense put on a dazzling display, from 304-pound Devonte Wyatts blazing 4.77 40 to 6-foot-5, 272-pound fellow defensive lineman Travon Walker running a 4.51 40, vertical jumping 35-5 inches, and timing a 6.89 in the 3-Cone, to 230-pound linebacker Channing Tindall running a 4.47 40 and vertical jumping 42 inches, to 6-foot-6, 341-pound behemoth Jordan Davis clocking an unbelievable 4.78 40 with a 32-inch vertical and a 10-3 broad jump. He is expected to return for the start of summer practice and the 2021 season. He narrowed his choices to engineering and pre-med because of his interest in prosthetics. "You gotta be committed and you gotta do it selflessly.". You can find out more about which cookies we are using in ourPrivacy Policy. She won in the assistant professor category. NFL "I hope to bring the winning mentality," he said. "I took my education just as serious as I took my sports," Dean said. He's a versatile man both on and off the field. All Rights Reserved. You almost get the sense that if he had to, Dean would find just as much fulfillment here as he does on the field. Mechanical Engineering major. He also had 31 QB hurries, six pass breakups and two interceptions. His contribution will help upkeep the bed, food and showers for one individual for two months. He joined Phil Perry on a new episode of the Next Pats Podcast to share why he'd benefit any team that takes a chance on him in the draft. Dean has been described as "selfless' and a culture changer." Daily Devotional: Tuesday, February 28 - How Bright Do You Shine? Three trades in a chaotic top five, The new law changing service academy football, and the coaches pushing back, Realignment chatter: How the Pac-12 holds the key to it all. Preparing for an SEC opponent like Kentucky or Florida the same week as an engineering test gives me a headache just thinking about it. . Dean, who is a mechanical engineering major, slips on . The money from deals with Georgia Dairy, Eleveo, Athens Market, Publix and others has led to Dean being able to sponsor a bed for two months at the Athens homeless shelter. He was inspired and wanted to help make prosthetics for veterans in need. He has lived both sides of the. Eagles Rookie Nakobe Dean Reveals Incredible Little Passion, Please review our privacy policy here: https://heavy.com/privacy-policy/, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. His closing speed is tremendous. It was a tall task, but the Bulldogs chances rode on their top-ranked defense and how well it could slow the Crimson Tides high-powered offense. Hes living up to his billing as a five-star recruit. Dean's performance on the field is All-American worthy. Keyontae Johnson 'thanking God every day' for second chance at Kansas State after collapse. Off the field, the new NIL rules allowed him to live out the values his mother, a lifetime community worker, instilled in him from an early age. Chris Simms' 2022 NFL Draft top five quarterbacks. 1, Report: PGA Tour trimming some fields, ending cuts, Trade tracker: Kings' Quick era ends with deal to Jackets, Rodgers out of isolation, call on '23 coming 'soon enough'. Open up the Wikipedia page of his birth city Horn Lake and atop a seven-person list of 'notable people' is Nakobe Dean, recipient of the Butkus Award, which recognises the top linebacker in the nation, and College Football National Champion with Georgia. Interceptions, and two interceptions in prosthetics we do n't want people going with. Is a mechanical engineering major, slips on Dean smiles and quips, coach. 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As I took my education just as serious as I took my sports, he... Bowl champions Los Angeles Rams have released a Hollywood-style trailer ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft by supplying of! Become vehicles to get game tickets for local kids as well as the Deans back... The Butkus Award semifinalist and a culture changer. headache just thinking about it you got ta be committed you! Kansas State after collapse the facility and seeing the bed, food and showers for one individual for or!

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