Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Nakobe Dean hits the books

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated 6/1/23

Philadelphia’s Nakobe Dean learned a lot about the NFL during his rookie season. In the offseason he learned even more about mechanical engineering.
Eight days after the team's loss in Super Bowl LVII, Dean returned to the University of Georgia for two classes: Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer. Georgia’s spring semester began in January but the Eagles season didn’t end until February. So Dean had to take the first month of classes online before returning to school.

Georgia edge rusher Nolan Smith mentioned on the @PatMcAfeeShow earlier today that he’s close friends with Eagles LB Nakobe Dean and that the two of them were in engineering classes together at Georgia.

Smith mentioned that Dean is back at Georgia completing his degree now. pic.twitter.com/NaqcnMi8ss
— DiBirds (@DiBirdsBlog) March 29, 2023

Dean is 26 hours away from a degree in mechanical engineering and maintained a 3.55 GPA as a full-time student. According to Cory Kopaniasz, Georgia's Assistant Athletic Director of Academics, Dean's approach to his studies is no different than it was as a full-time student-athlete.

"He's a gifted student, but he doesn't settle for just what he knows. He is very intellectually curious," Kopaniasz said. "His effort doesn't allow him to be anything less than an A student."

Throughout the season, Dean remained in constant contact with Kopaniasz and his professors about his classes. “I remember he called me after they won the NFC Championship Game.” Kopaniasz said. “He called me within like an hour of the game ending because he wanted to know how to get the calculator he needed for one of his classes."

That level of commitment should serve Dean well in his second NFL season. Stuck behind T.J Edwards, the team’s leading tackler last season, he spent most of his time on special teams. With Edwards now in Chicago, Dean looks to be Philadelphia’s starting middle linebacker in 2023.

The Eagles just started their OTAs, but Dean’s spring classes are now behind him. He claims not to know his exact grades other than they were good enough for credit. Once his degree is finished, he hopes to build and design prosthetics for athletes and veterans. For now, he and his teammates have designs on winning their division and a second-straight NFC championship.

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