McShay loves idea of Patriots taking dynamic Georgia linebacker in first round
One of the top NFL Draft analysts in the game would love to see Bill Belichick get his hands on arguably the top linebacker in the class of 2022.
That would be Georgia’s Nakobe Dean, whom McShay picked to be drafted to the Patriots at No. 21 overall in his latest 2022 mock draft. Before he released that, he went on the record with ESPN’s Mike Reiss to say Dean, an inside linebacker, would be a great fit for Belichick and the Pats defense.
“I’ve talked and met with [Dean], and I’ve talked with multiple scouts and we all kind of agree: There isn’t a better player in this class in terms of football IQ,” McShay told Reiss. “You match that IQ with what New England tries to do – they’re so multiple and differentiate from week to week – that would be a lot of fun to watch.”
Belichick and other high-ranking Patriots staffers attended Georgia’s Pro Day in March, so if the head coach has any real interest in Dean, he had a front-row seat.
McShay notes the one big drawback for Dean as a draft prospect, and the same one that could give the Patriots pause: Dean is markedly undersized for an inside linebacker. At 5-foot-11 in the 225-pound range, he’s smaller than Pats safety Kyle Dugger. In fact, Belichick may view Dean as more of a box safety in his system in the first place. But Dean is also one of the most highly regarded prospects in the entire draft when it comes to his intelligence, and that’s why McShay would be excited to see him work with Belichick:
New England could use a spark in the middle of the defense. Dean might not have the measurables that NFL teams seek – he is 5-foot-11 with shorter arms – but his tape might be my favorite in the entire class because of his incredible effort on every play and the way he can impact the run defense, pass defense and pass rush on any given set of downs. I think he’d be a star in coach Bill Belichick’s system.
Due to his relative lack of size, Dean wouldn’t exactly be a good fit just anywhere. But Belichick would have as good a chance as any coach in the league to figure out the best ways to use him and put him in position to succeed. Belichick also seems to be moving toward smaller-but-faster linebackers, as evidenced by the presence of players like Josh Uche and Cameron McGrone on the depth chart and the departure of Kyle Van Noy.
As of Tuesday, Dean is ranked 26th on the consensus big board at NFLMockDraftDatabase.com. In pre-draft scouting reports, he’s drawn comparisons to the Steelers’ Devin Bush and the Ravens’ Patrick Queen.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
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