Nakobe Dean Drafted by Eagles: Philadelphia's Updated Depth Chart After Round 3

Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean's fall down the draft board is over.

The Philadelphia Eagles bolstered their defense by selecting Dean with the No. 83 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft Friday.

A two-year starter for the Bulldogs, the 21-year-old has career totals of 168 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. He earned the Butkus Award and first-team All-American honors in 2021 after recording 72 total tackles and six sacks.

Here is where he fits into his new team's depth chart:

OLB: Kyzir White, Davion Taylor, Christian Elliss

MLB: Nakobe Dean, TJ Edwards, Shaun Bradley, JaCoby Stevens

OLB: Haason Reddick, Patrick Johnson, Joe Ostman

Dean helped lead Georgia to a national championship this past season, notching four tackles in a win over then-No. 1 Alabama. It was the program's first national title in 41 years.

Despite being undersized for the position at 5'11" and 229 pounds, he brings an energy that separates him from most defensive players in this year's draft class. His size actually seems to benefit him as he flies around the field, but there are questions about his coverage abilities and how he'll fare against NFL tight ends.

Bleacher Report NFL scout Derrik Klassen said: "Nakobe Dean has the best speed among linebackers in this class. Not only does he have easy sideline-to-sideline range, but he also has the explosiveness to fire downhill with great speed and the smooth hips to redirect himself in space, making him capable of finding the ball-carrier no matter the angle."

By adding Dean to its defense, Philadelphia has found a player who has the potential to develop into a perennial Pro Bowler.