The Philadelphia Eagles selected Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean with the No. 40 pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Eagles traded their Nos. 50, 53 and 161 picks to the Washington Commanders to move up to No. 40 and make the selection. They also acquired Washington’s pick Nos. 78 and 152.
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DeJean came to Iowa after a highly decorated football, basketball, track and baseball career. A prep quarterback, DeJean went to Iowa as a defensive back in 2021 and got onto the field immediately for the Hawkeyes.
DeJean owns arguably the best ball skills of any defender in the class and is a total difference-maker in the return game. He moved around and played different roles in Iowa’s secondary as a two-year starter, showing safety and corner skills.
DeJean, who ran a 4.44 40-yard dash at his pro day, missed four games last season with a leg injury and has some issues in press coverage against overly explosive receivers, but his versatility in coverage and playmaking skills make him a unique prospect.
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‘The Beast’ breakdown
DeJean ranked No. 27 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“DeJean is one of the best tackling defensive backs in the class and shows playmaking skills in coverage, because of his athletic instincts and competitive makeup. Along with an immediate special teams role (as a returner and gunner), his NFL starter-quality skill set fits interchangeably at cornerback, safety or nickel.”
Coaching intel
What an anonymous coach had to say about DeJean in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“He was a dominant college defender. Very physical. Great fit for Iowa’s system. Explosive athlete, but we thought he was a little tight and stiff. That probably will get exposed a little at the next level, but I think he’s a hell of a player.”
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Why he’s a second-round pick
DeJean’s first step is a bit troublesome and occasionally causes him issues in press coverage. However, his IQ in coverage and ability to move around and have an impact is top-notch. Additionally, his kick return skills are Pro Bowl-level.
Wrote about Cooper DeJean this week.
And got an excuse to shout out the OABCIG (yes, that's a high school) Falcons. Such a fun player.
New on @TheAthletic https://t.co/AWPeVzaOU0 pic.twitter.com/uU55h2HN7r
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) April 12, 2024
Scott Dochterman grades the pick
Is he a corner? A safety? A nickel? It doesn’t matter. DeJean will find his way on the field for Philadelphia after a productive career where he played both corner and nickel at Iowa. He finished with seven interceptions and returned three for touchdowns while defending 20 passes in two seasons. DeJean (6 feet, 203 pounds) also is an elite punt returner with returned two for touchdowns in 2023 (one was called back for an illegal signal). The Eagles gave up a lot, but this was well worth it considering where their secondary was late last season. Grade: A
Mike Sando’s assessment
Philly emerging with Quinyon Mitchell at No. 22 and then DeJean at 40 feels so much like everything else the team does. A year ago, could you believe Philly somehow landed Jalen Carter, the most talented defensive lineman in the draft? Six months ago, could you believe how little the Eagles paid for safety Kevin Byard? Not all of the marveling is justified in the end; there are reasons players fall in drafts, and reasons veteran players become available on the cheap. I’m most interested in seeing what Vic Fangio’s addition might mean for the overall coherence on defense — and especially for the usage/development of these newly added defensive backs.
How he fits
Several mock drafts had the Eagles taking DeJean in the first round as cornerback was generally viewed as one of their biggest needs before Mitchell unexpectedly fell to them at No. 22. Now paired with Mitchell, DeJean should help the Eagles immediately improve what was the second-worst pass defense in the NFL last season, and could give a boost to special teams, too.
Fast evaluation
The Eagles quickly and aggressively have added skill and depth to their defensive backfield, although they had to surrender the 53rd overall pick to do it. Still, to come away with what was viewed as two of the top cornerbacks in the draft could pay dividends for a long, long time.
(Photo: Jeffrey Becker / USA Today)