New ESPN mock draft has Patriots taking explosive linebacker in first round
Might the Patriots be looking to grab a member of Georgia's talented defensive front-seven in the 2022 NFL Draft?
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The post-NFL Combine buzz surrounding the Patriots’ draft plans has revolved around defense, defense and more defense. Even with the team perhaps needing one more dynamic wide receiver, New England’s uncertainty at cornerback and linebacker has many mock drafts predicting Bill Belichick will upgrade one of those key spots in the first round.
ESPN’s Todd McShay is following suit in his latest mock, projecting the Patriots to take Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
“This guy is perfect for the Patriots,” McShay wrote in his Wednesday morning mock of the All-SEC defender. “With Dont’a Hightower hitting free agency, there’s a spot open in the middle of that defense, too…Dean has an incredible motor, fighting through blocks and making tackles in space. He has range both against the run and in coverage, and he can even contribute as a pass-rusher. I absolutely love watching his tape. Dean could be Bill Belichick’s leader on defense, and his relentlessness and exceptional instincts will make him an instant-impact player.”
From the 10,000-foot view, Dean makes plenty of sense as a target for a Patriots team needing to get younger and more athletic at the linebacker position.
The Bulldogs backer stands out for his impressive sideline-to-sideline burst, explosiveness as a hitter, and ability to play the pass. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein suggests Dean compares well to Steelers linebacker Devin Bush, while his playing style also reminds somewhat of Bears All-Pro and former Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith.
But Dean lacks the size typically desired in Patriots linebackers, checking in at just 5-foot-11 and about 230 pounds with below-average length. He also benefited tremendously from having all-world talents like Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, and Travon Walker in front of him to eat up blocks, allowing him to rocket around and largely make tackles unimpeded. Though the undersized linebacker has shown he can use quickness to slip around blocks at the second level, he’s in trouble if a big offensive lineman gets a body on him.
There’s also some concern Dean doesn’t have enough pure athleticism to overcome his lack of size. He did not allay those concerns by saying he would skip drills and testing at the NFL Combine, opting to wait until Georgia’s Pro Day on Wednesday, March 16 to take the field for NFL teams.
However, his tape suggests he’s exactly the kind of player the Patriots need to move their linebacking corps into the modern age. Plus, assuming New England retains at least one of their big-bodied free-agent linebackers — either Hightower or Ja’Whaun Bentley — Dean might still work as a solid complement.
Taking an undersized but speedy linebacker would certainly be a departure from the norm for the Patriots. It would probably be more likely they take a bigger, stronger linebacker like Utah’s Devin Lloyd in the first round or even wait to take a Georgia teammate like Quay Walker or Channing Tindall later.
But Dean’s a good enough player to at least consider the possibility of making him a first-round pick, especially if other stars have been scooped up by then.
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