In his latest 2022 NFL mock draft for Draft Wire, Luke Easterling has the Denver Broncos selecting Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean with the 15th overall pick in the first round.
Here is Easterling’s commentary with the selection:
Dean doesn’t have Lloyd’s massive frame, but he makes up for his lack of ideal size with impressive athleticism and instincts, which would help the Broncos’ defense look more like Georgia’s.
It’s worth noting that quarterbacks Sam Hartman (No. 6, Washington Football Team) and Matt Corral (No. 13, Carolina Panthers) were already off the board when Denver picked Dean in Draft Wire’s mock draft.
Easterling has the Broncos passing on quarterbacks Kenny Pickett (No. 22, Pittsburgh Steelers) and Malik Willis (No. 28, Detroit Lions) to selectDean.
Despite Josey Jewell and Alexander Johnson both being scheduled to become free agents next year, inside linebacker might not actually be a big need for Denver.
Baron Browning, a third-round pick this year, has started the last two games and he’s looked sharp. Fellow linebacker Kenny Young, who was recently acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, has been excellent.
Young is scheduled to become a free agent in the spring as well, but if the Broncos are able to re-sign him, they might already have their two 2022 starting inside linebackers already on the roster.
It’s still early, though, and we don’t know if Young will be re-signed, so Dean is a linebacker to keep an eye on leading up to the draft in April.