One of the goals for the Raiders this offseason has to get faster on defense. To keep up with teams like the Chiefs and the Chargers, they need more players who can fly to the football and make plays in space.
One spot that could use some more speed is at linebacker. Denzel Perryman made the Pro Bowl last year, but he probably isn’t a long-term solution for the team. Divine Deablo does have speed, but he is still learning the position.
In a recent mock draft by the great Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN, he had the Raiders selecting Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean at pick No. 22. Here is what he had to say about that possible selection:
“The Raiders have a new regime under coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, and they have a clear void in the middle of their defense.
If Dean is still available at No. 22, this is a no-brainer. His coaches at Georgia rave about his leadership skills and he’s a dominant off-ball linebacker on the field, too. He stuffed the stat sheet with 72 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles and two picks last season.
Cornerback and wide receiver are two other positions I considered for Las Vegas, which also has questions surrounding the future of quarterback Derek Carr, whose contract is up after the 2022 season.”
Not only is Dean one of the fastest linebackers in this class, but he also has the best instincts. He can fly to the football as he knows where the ball is going before the snap. His only real weakness is that he isn’t overly big and that may matter to some teams.
If the Raiders are lucky enough to have Dean fall to them at pick No. 22, this would be a homerun selection. He could dramatically change their defense and would help everyone on the unit with his intelligence and leadership skills. Dean is one of the top 10 or 12 players in the draft. Getting him at pick No. 22 would be an absolute steal.
