With the 40th overall pick in the NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles draft Cooper DeJean — cornerback out of Iowa. DeJean was widely viewed as one of the best cornerbacks in this draft class and a truly can’t-miss prospect. Let’s take a look at what Cooper DeJean brings to the Eagles.
Cooper DeJean NFL Draft Profile 2024
Cooper DeJean
Position: CB
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 203 lbs
Age: 21
College: Iowa Hawkeyes
Cooper DeJean Highlights
Cooper DeJean Combine Results
To the disappointment of many, Cooper DeJean did not participate in the 2024 NFL Combine. We know his draft projection is early, so there wasn’t much pressure for him to participate in the drills. DeJean is coming off of a lower leg injury suffered in mid-November as well and just started running “full speed” a week before the Combine.
Cooper DeJean will have a chance to show teams what he can do as he is planning to participate in Iowa’s pro day next Monday, April 8th. With plenty of time to recover from his broken leg, DeJean has a chance to show teams that he is back and as healthy as ever.
RELATED | Full Cooper DeJean NFL Draft Profile, Highlights and Stats
Cooper DeJean Scouting Report
Strengths
Seemingly all analysts agree that Cooper DeJean is one of the better cornerback prospects in this draft class. DeJean is more than willing to help in run defense and does a good job tackling in the open field. He has solid ball skills and has great instincts.
One of the things that DeJean has that few corners do coming out of college is discipline, and the ability to read the quarterback. Many prospects zone in on the receiver and can get taken advantage of as a result. DeJean is able to recognize the play early on and closes in on the pass catcher quickly.
Weaknesses
The biggest weakness for DeJean is going to be his speed. While he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at his pro day, he looks slow on tape much too often. Although it was over a year ago, against Ohio State in the 2022-23 season there were multiple times where he was torched off the line. He may not have the speed or acceleration to keep up with receivers at the next level which may result in him having to play solely safety or nickel in the NFL. DeJean also wasn’t challenged much this past year, playing against bad offenses most of the year, which gives fans and analysts few games to base his skills off of.
What to Expect From Cooper DeJean in 2024
DeJean’s fit at the next level remains a mystery and may take some testing to see where he fits best. While his speed at the pro day certainly jumps off the tape, against solid receivers he was blown by more times than fans wanted to see. While he may be drafted as an outside cornerback, the best place for him to play may be the slot or as a safety. It could also be that he just had some bad reps and can hang with the speedsters at the NFL level. Although his place in Philadelphia’s defense remains up in the air, DeJean is a solid player with all the right tools and physical attributes to contribute day one.
