No. 3 OLB Nakobe Dean's recruitment has taken off
HORN LAKE, Miss. — Early in 2017 is when Nakobe Dean took the recruiting world by storm. Not long after signing day 2017 in February, Mississippi State became the first school to offer the 2019 linebacker out of Horn Lake High School.
LSU's offer came shortly after that. Then it was Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and a few others coming though with offers for the Rivals 100 talent. Duke is the most recent school to offer and that happened earlier this fall.
All of the attention due to the offers and recognition because of his ranking has not affected Dean in any way. The star student-athlete that carries over a 4.0 GPA in the classroom continues to go about his business even though he now has that X on his chest.
"It is a high honor to be considered one of the top players in Mississippi, but I really do not think much about it," said Dean. "There is a little pressure with those expectations, but I come out each day and work hard to be the best I can be.
"I get around my friends and my teammates and that pressure really goes away, so I am just going to keep working hard and take it from there."
Dean knew he had worked hard, so the offers did not come as a real shock to him. He had his act together on and off the field, he had camped at numerous places and he was being talked about early on.
Since his recruitment took off, he has taken in games in Tuscaloosa, Oxford and Starkville. He and his family grew up cheering for the Bulldogs of Mississippi State, but he has opened his mind up since he has become this elite recruit.
"I am just thankful for the opportunity to go play college football and I do not have a favorite team right now. I have interest in a lot of schools, there are still a lot of schools I want to learn more about and I am open right now."
The in-state schools do have his attention though. He is very familiar with the Rebels and Bulldogs with each giving him a very similar feel when he's on their campus.
"With Mississippi State being first to offer me, that means something to me. I grew up watching them too, so I do like them. When I have been there they have given me that family vibe and I really do like that. I feel like I could be at home there.
"Every time I am at Ole Miss, they have really made me feel very comfortable too. They have not made me feel nervous, but just right at home.
"Both of those schools have made me just feel comfortable and that is nice."
Dean saw Ole Miss play at Alabama this season too. He was impressed with what he saw in Tuscaloosa.
"The culture at Alabama really stood out to me," said Dean. "How everyone carries themselves, how they go about their business is different and I really loved it there."
The schools that he would really like to see soon out of the ones who have offered are Georgia and Michigan.
"With Georgia, they have been recruiting me very hard and I really want to check them out to see what it is like there.
"Michigan is a school I have always thought about going to and it is not just about football with them. They are well-known for their academics and I want to learn more about that."
It is clear that Dean really has an open mind as he starts to get serious about the recruiting process. He is going to continue to take visits, develop relationships with coaches and push forward to find the best place for him when his time at Horn Lake is over.
He does not have favorites, but he has already had some talks with his mother about the recruiting process and he knows when he plans to commit.
"I am not going to commit to any school until after my senior season," said Dean. "I am still a long ways away from that. I am going to take my time.
"I am going to take the time I need to find my next home. I want to find the school who will push me to get my degree and to better myself as a person and a player.
"Location will not matter to me. I am willing to go anywhere."
