Philadelphia Eagles: Nakobe Dean picked an all-time great number

Lean, mean, Nakobe Dean is gonna look good in midnight green, especially after picking up the number of one of the team’s all-time great players, Harold Carmichael.

That’s right, while position players the league over are taking advantage of the new, lax numbers rule to remain in single-digits at the NFL level, Dean is taking things in a different direction and opting to take his collegiate number, 17, to the Philadelphia Eagles this fall.

17? On a linebacker? Color me intrigued.

Sidebar: For those with an eye for history, this marks the first time an Eagles player will wear 17 while lining up at linebacker since Norm Van Buren’s brother Ebert accomplished the feat during his three-year run with the team from 1951-53.

While Nakobe Dean likely won’t start for the Eagles right out of the gates this fall, as one would assume the base package starters will be Kyzir White on the weakside, T.J. Edwards in the middle, and Haason Reddick on the strongside, it’s entirely possible we could see Dean and White form a dynamic one-two punch in the nickel package, which is essentially Philly’s base defense when you consider just how often they roll with only two linebackers.

Have an old Alshon Jeffrey and/or a really old Nelson Agholor jersey just wasting away in your closet? Well, you’re in luck, for you can upcycle a new Nakobe Dean jersey to go with your

Carson Wentz

A.J. Brown one.

The digit game of the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookies is strong.

Though their draft class wasn’t particularly expansive, as only five players heard their names called followed by the words “Philadelphia Eagles,” the team’s rookies are already making an impact on the City of Brotherly Love, and not just by ringing the bell before Game 3 of the Philadelphia 76ers-Miami Heat series.

With rookie minicamp officially underway, the next crop of Eagles players finally took the field in South Philly and did so in their new jerseys featuring their new numbers. Now granted, all five aren’t particularly surprising, as Jordan Davis’ decision to wear 90 was already announced before Carson Strong’s signing was officially announced, but the other four numbers weren’t leaked until the Eagles announced it themselves, and the results appear to have been received positively by the fanbase.

See what I mean? The comments aren’t too mean at all.

Of the numbers available to Davis, 90 was the pick. He couldn’t wear his college number, 99, because it’s already retired and of the available numbers left to pick from in the 90s, 90 is much tougher looking than 95 or 98, which were the only two other numbers theoretically available.

51 is a good pick for Cam Jurgens, as much like with Nakobe Dean’s 17, it’s the number he wore at Nebraska. Assuming he takes over the center spot next year, Jurgens will be sandwiched between 69 and 56 for years to come, which, while not quite Jason Kelce’s 62, will look nice.

Frankly, the real surprises of the jersey announcement came with the final two players selected on draft weekend, Kyron Johnson and Grant Calcaterra. Johnson went with 58, which was worn most recently by Genard Avery and was Jordan Hicks’ number of choice during the Birds’ Super Bowl run. Considering Johnson is more of a pass-rushing SAM than a traditional coverage linebacker, it would have been cool to see him pick a number like 95 to signify his hybrid status.

And as for Calcaterra? Well, he’ll have pretty big shoes to fill, as Trey Burton famously wore the number from 2014-16 before switching to 80 in 2017. While Burton didn’t wear the number when he ran the Philly Special, he will forever be associated with the number, and Calcaterra will be measured up to that greatness in turn.

Considering his talents as a receiver, I think he’ll do just fine.

Football is all about leaving a legacy. If Nakobe Dean produces right out of the gates, he’ll make the rest of the NFL rue letting him split to 83. And if he’s just good instead of an all-time great? Well, he’ll be the best linebacker to wear 17 for the Philadelphia Eagles in their franchise history; that’s something, right? Either way, Harold Carmichael will be proud.