New England Patriots: 3 linebackers Belichick will regret not drafting

New England Patriots passed on Nakobe Dean of Georgia

One of the top linebackers the Patriots passed on twice in the NFL draft was Nakobe Dean of the FBS Champion Georgia Bulldogs. Dean was the leader of that stellar group. Dean is a bit undersized at 5’11” tall and about 229 pounds. But he’s all player and leader and exactly what New England could have used in the draft.

Here’s part of what NFL.com/prospects had to say about Dean,

"Explosive, three-down linebacker with the demeanor and quickness to become a volume tackler while holding down third-down duties at a high level. Dean’s play recognition is a work in progress, which limits reaction time and forces him to deal with more blockers than he’ll see as he gains more experience… He might lack measurables, but he has the toughness and technique to see a boost in his performance once his play becomes more proactive."

They also compared him to Jesse Tuggle, a former Atlanta Falcon star. At best, he could be at that level or even perhaps that of long-time Patriot nemesis, former Miami Dolphin, Zack Thomas, an absolute star as an undersized linebacker.

Dean is already turning heads in Philadelphia as he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round. New England could have snatched the former Bulldog defensive captain earlier with one of their first two picks. Alternatively, they could have traded down again in the first round and added an additional pick to take Dean.

The Patriots passed on Dean. Like with all draftees, it will take some time to see whether or not that was a mistake. It says here that taking a flyer on a leader and productive player like Dean would have been a great move for a linebacker-deficient team like the New England Patriots.