As Georgia defender after Georgia defender was taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, many became curious as to why star inside linebacker Nakobe Dean was not one of them. Despite being perhaps Georgia’s best defensive player last season, Dean did not hear his name called.

There were concerns about his size and his position also factored into the slide, as just two inside linebackers were taken in the first round. But there’s another reason why teams may have waited to pounce on Dean.

Related: NFL Draft 2022: Georgia football live updates, picks, and analysis for picks

Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that there are teams concerned about Dean’s durability and injuries. Dean had labrum surgery following the 2021 season and missed some time as a freshman with an ankle injury. He did not miss a game during his Georgia career, it should be noted.

More recently, Dean suffered a pec injury that prevented him from fully working out at the combine and Georgia’s Pro Day. Pelissero reports that the injury is more serious than initially believed. Dean elected not to have surgery on the injury, instead opting for rehab.

Rapoport added that tools and long-term ceiling also led to Dean’s slide. The expectation is that Dean won’t have to wait very long on Friday night to hear his name called, as he is listed as one of the top players available at the start of the second round. It has become somewhat of a trend for Georgia players to go early in the second round, with Tyson Campbell going with the No. 33 pick last year and D’Andre Swift landing with the Detroit Lions at pick No. 20 in the 2020 NFL draft.

Former Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith pushed back on the narrative against Dean, declaring him the biggest steal in the draft.

Georgia skill players expected to be taken on Day 2 of 2022 NFL Draft

While the Georgia defense dominated the first day of the NFL draft, expect a few offensive players to come off the board from Georgia in the second and third rounds.

The most obvious candidate is wide receiver George Pickens, who like Dean is expected to go early in the second round. The first round of the draft saw six wide receivers go in the first 18 picks but none were taken in the final 14 picks of the round. Were it not for injury and off-field concerns, Pickens likely would’ve been a first-round pick and could be a steal for a team in the second round, such as the Indianapolis Colts.

From there, it will be interesting to see whether James Cook or Zamir White get drafted on Friday. No running back was taken in the first round on Thursday, and teams have a bevy of options to pick from, including the Georgia dynamos. Other coveted running backs include Iowa State’s Breece Hall and Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker.

In addition to Dean, linebacker Channing Tindall is likely to be picked on Friday, going in either the second or third round. Look for teams like the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints to look and add either Georgia product. Georgia has already had one linebacker drafted this draft, as Quay Walker went to the Green Bay Packers with pick No. 22.

Green Bay Packers GM gives Georgia the ultimate recruiting ammo

Not that Georgia needed any more recruiting ammunition, but Green Bay Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst gave the Georgia program the ultimate stamp of approval. And that goes beyond even taking two Georgia players in the first round.

In addition to taking Walker, the Packers added defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt with the No. 28 overall pick. Add in 2021 selection Eric Stokes and the Packers have taken three-consecutive Bulldogs in the first round.

That isn’t coincidental as Gutekunst explained to reporters. He really, really likes what Georgia does with its defense and how it prepares players for the next level.

“Where they’re coming from is about as close as you can get to the National Football League,” Gutekunst said.

The Bulldogs did set a record on Thursday with five defensive players going in the first round, the most ever from a single defense. And the Georgia recruiting department did not take long to start cashing in on that exposure, as staffers have already begun sending recruits edits following the successful first night of the event.

The draft resumes at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC. Georgia is aiming to set a record for the most players taken in a single draft with 15 possible selections. LSU holds the previous record, with 14 players going in the 2020 NFL Draft.

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