Why did Nakobe Dean fall in the NFL Draft? This may be the answer

Former Horn Lake High School standout Nakobe Dean fell out of the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Graded first among Power Five linebackers and highest of any linebacker prospect since 2017 by Prof Football Focus, Dean was finally selected 83rd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round on Friday.

During the second night of the draft, multiple outlets, including NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, reported that Dean's slide was due to injury concerns.

Dean suffered a pectoral strain while training for the draft but declined to have surgery. Rapoport reported his decision to not have surgery concerned NFL clubs. He was projected as one of the top inside linebackers and might have been a first-round pick.

Dean is in Las Vegas in the green room for the draft.

Dean was the 2018 high school Butkus Award winner and 2018 Gatorade Football Player of the Year before enrolling at Georgia. He also won the college version of the Butkus Award.

Last season for the Bulldogs Dean had 72 tackles with 10.5 for a loss and six sacks. He added two interceptions, 28 quarterback hurries and six pass break-ups while helping lead Georgia to the national championship.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Nakobe Dean fell so far in the NFL Draft. This may be why