The Philadelphia Eagles took the best cornerback in the 2024 NFL Draft in the first round when they took Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo with the 22nd overall pick. They continued to add to their secondary on Friday night by trading up to the 40th overall pick to take the second-best cornerback in the draft in Cooper DeJean of Iowa.
Many mock drafts leading up to the actual draft had DeJean going to the Green Bay Packers in the first round with pick 25. However, the Packers instead took offensive tackle Jordan Morgan.
The Scouting Report on Cooper DeJean
The scouting report for DeJean written by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com read in part:
“Highly competitive defensive back with plus ball skills and noteworthy special teams value. DeJean is big and bundled for a cornerback, with muscular arms and tight hips. He has fantastic interception production, but his movements are more linear than fluid, and he doesn’t have the easy change of direction needed in man coverage on the next level.
“His best football is played with his eyes forward, using his instincts to challenge quarterbacks and his big downhill burst to smack whatever needs smacking. He would seem to be a no-brainer as a punt returner and gunner in Year 1.
“DeJean should be a big athletic tester, which will help get the hype train going, but finding the proper schematic fit will be important in unlocking his best football as a zone corner or interchangeable safety.”
While DeJean is an incredibly gifted athlete, there are some limitations that may limit where he can play in the NFL. Specifically, Zierlein mentions his hip tightness in man coverage. For most of DeJean’s career, he played predominantly against slower Big Ten offenses. There are serious questions about whether or not he will be able to keep up with NFL wide receivers right away if he plays outside cornerback.
That being said, he still has incredible tackling abilities and could be better used as a safety. Additionally, he has experience as a punt returner and could be a standout special teams player right away.
What Adding Cooper DeJean Means for the Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have a truly diverse player in DeJean in that he can play multiple positions on defense. The question is what position will be the strongest for him. As mentioned above, there are some concerns about whether or not his game as a cornerback will translate to the NFL.
There is little doubt, though, that he can at least be a good (if not great) safety in the NFL. can also use him as a punt returner and/or gunner on special teams.
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