With Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean falling down draft boards there are questions about whether or not the Chicago Bears should draft him. The easy answer is yes because he was a leader on a Georgia that just had a record five defensive players drafted.
Even if Dean is the sixth-best player from Georgia, fans recall seeing him make plays in the backfield and set the tone as an emotional and physical leader.
However, there is a reason he is the sixth Bulldog to go from this vaunted group, and there is a reason his running mate Quay Walker went ahead of Dean.
Dean is dealing with multiple injury questions and some teams have decided that he is not worth the risk. In the video below they mention soft tissue issues, a labrum issue, and a pec issue.
From NFL Draft Kickoff: A look at why #Georgia LB Nakobe Dean is still on the board, plus the #Bucs are getting calls at No. 33. pic.twitter.com/KIOI0jLiHb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2022
Tom Pelissero goes on to say that the pec injury is the most recent and he said that it was significant. This is obviously concerning and answers many questions about why he is around.
The other added factor is that with multiple injuries over multiple years including a recent one is that Dean is undersized already. He is seven pounds lighter and an inch shorter than Roquan Smith. Dean also has short arms.
Dean throws his body around and plays an aggressive style of football that can damage his body. When his frame is smaller than someone like Roquan Smith, and the injuries start to pile up, you can wonder if the Chicago Bears would want to start their new regime off with a pick like this.
Beyond that is the question of value. The team would like to go offense, but even if they go defense you could argue that cornerback and defensive line are bigger needs and higher priority positions in the draft.
When you look at the linebackers names such as Brian Asamoah, Christian Harris, Chad Muma, Troy Anderson, and Leo Chenal all stand out as options that could be had at pick 71 or possibly even later. The Bears have shown interest in Asamoah and Harris already.
It is one thing to take the risk on Dean, but when this is not a high priority need, they could find other linebackers later, and you add his medical red flags and you could see Dean fall past 40 if he is on the board when the Bears pick.