The last time the Eagles drafted a linebacker in the first round was with the 21st pick of the 1979 NFL Draft, choosing Jerry Robinson out of UCLA. And the only reason why that probably happened was because then-Eagles coach and Hall of Famer Dick Vermeil coached Robinson at UCLA and was the driving force behind Robinson moving from tight end to linebacker.
In the Jeff Lurie era, the Eagles have not placed a high value on the linebacker position in the draft.
Dean may be an exception.
Yet, Dean is another prospect who is all over the place when it comes to some measurables.