A closer look at Philadelphia’s second-round pick.
With the 2024 NFL Draft over, it’s time for some film rooms on the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie class. I will try and get to all nine draft picks and some UDFAs over the next few weeks. Loads of scouting reports will say very similar things, so I have tried to include film clips to back up everything and I will talk about the player’s fit with the Eagles at the end of the piece. I manage to get the all22 on several rookies, but I can’t share those clips on my own Twitter accounts (or I risk getting blocked), so I’ve used a few other accounts here. Let’s go!
Previously in this series: Quinyon Mitchell
Relative Athletic Score (RAS)
As a cornerback:
Cooper DeJean is a CB prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.89 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 28 out of 2469 CB from 1987 to 2024.
Splits Projected, results unofficial.
https://t.co/DLW4TzOmJ0 https://t.co/q1AcbRBVjU pic.twitter.com/9NeUPEnHZ6
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2024
As a safety:
Cooper DeJean is a FS prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.67 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 37 out of 1092 FS from 1987 to 2024.
For those wondering
https://t.co/cG3wkyFj2o pic.twitter.com/JDezSKGVls
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2024
Both are elite!
Strengths
+ A former member of Bruce Feldman’s ‘freaks list’ which highlights the kind of athlete he is. As the list suggests… he’s a freak. How cool is this?
Highlights of new #Eagles DB Cooper DeJean piping on people in high school. pic.twitter.com/Me5EqBkKaC
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) April 26, 2024
+ I get why there are question marks, but I think he’s fluid enough to excel as an outside cornerback. There are enough good reps on film like the first one here.
Cooper DeJean had an impressive day in coverage. He’s a phenomenal athlete with great ball skills. #Iowa pic.twitter.com/w9OoJwVuDs
— Kendell Hollowell (@KHollowell_) October 1, 2023
This is the best chance in man coverage for #3 Cooper DeJean (Iowa) when change of direction is required —when routes really flatten out giving him the extra time he needs to react and make a play on the ball. pic.twitter.com/Usm11C49T7
— FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) September 13, 2023
+ Very physical and competitive. He will hit hard and give you 100% effort wherever he plays.
Iowa CB/S Cooper DeJean makes Bruce’s list — a personal favorite of mine to watch as an outside corner/slot/even stack LB who run-fits without any fear.
Gives me Jabrill Peppers in college vibes — with better ball skills/feel in coverage. https://t.co/8z3gg3dvSm pic.twitter.com/JkSEsjVZmN
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) August 15, 2023
+ Wants to press receivers at the line of scrimmage. He likes getting in the face of receivers and has reps where he runs the route for them, staying right in the receiver’s hip pocket.
Cooper Dejean attaches himself to WRs hips in man coverage and doesn’t let go. Clips like these two were all over his film. pic.twitter.com/ii7IgTWK99
— Thomas Martinez (@BoltsDraftTalk) December 25, 2023
+ Very strong route recognition and awareness in both zone and man coverage. He will jump out routes when playing deep outside coverage. He does a great job maintaining depth when playing in zone whilst also trying to take away the easy short stuff.
Another reason I see Cooper DeJean being a beast of a safety in NFL… his instincts. He reads the QB’s eyes here out of Cover 3 blitz, jumps out route, picking off errant throw.
He’s a master at positioning himself to make plays on the ball. Fun coverage chess piece. pic.twitter.com/D1zPcFS2yA
— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) April 7, 2024
Watching some Cooper DeJean this evening. Except from the obvious, I was really impressed with his ability to pass off routes and read the QB. This is a fake screen with a post-wheel combo but he doesn’t get distracted by the post and comes off his man to make a play on the… pic.twitter.com/1g66pJK4GK
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 6, 2024
I really enjoyed his play in zone too. He has a great understanding of depth and closes on these underneath routes quickly without giving up the deep shot over his head. I think he’s going to love it in Fangio’s system (although I would love to see him get some chances to win in… pic.twitter.com/hQwF1NqR7G
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 6, 2024
+ Reliable run defender and an outstanding tackler in the open field. He gets low and wraps up well.
Beautiful form tackle by Cooper DeJean to get a TFL on 4th and 1 pic.twitter.com/Uup8OsycFm
— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) April 1, 2024
Although he takes a bad angle here, I enjoyed this rep. You aren’t going to always take great angles, and having great speed and tackling technique allows you to prevent big plays even when things go wrong. It’s not a perfect rep, but it’s good to see. pic.twitter.com/LZCFeoIl27
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 6, 2024
If your outside corner can do this in run defense, that’s a massive win. This is outstanding.
Love this from DeJean (#3, coming out of the left side of the screen). Takes on the back from outside leverage to force the runner back inside, then spins back in and makes the tackle. pic.twitter.com/suE8F7o2Va
— Dusty (@DustyEvely) April 17, 2024
+ Outstanding at the catch point. 20 pass breakups and 7 interceptions in the past 2 years.
+ He’s fun as hell with the ball in his hands. He can return punts, kicks, and return picks for touchdowns. He has even taken some offensive snaps!
Cooper DeJean to the Eagles, so I just want Philadelphia to know what kind of player they’re getting pic.twitter.com/am0XCYfGRf
— Slater (@SlaterKinnick_) April 27, 2024
+ He’s outstanding as a gunner on special teams, due to his athleticism and tackling technique.
#Iowa CB Cooper DeJean = one of the best all-around players in CFB.
– Easy-mover in coverage
– Plus, plus run defender
– Iowa’s primary PR
– Gunner extraordinaire https://t.co/117Ik5F5oM pic.twitter.com/0HWSrkD1iz— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 12, 2023
Weaknesses
– He’s a little stiff which is why some consider him a safety or as a nickel. Sometimes he looks a little clunky when asked to change direction quickly. I wonder if it’s a technique issue because it’s not consistently poor. However, he didn’t do agility drills at his pro day which suggests he wouldn’t do too well in them…
Watching Iowa CB Cooper DeJean, and came across this rep from Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
6’4″, 205-pound receivers should not be able to sink this much on whip routes. Just an absurd talent. pic.twitter.com/DOUyDGzpXu
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) June 1, 2023
– Can be a little too aggressive in grabby in coverage at times. Sometimes this happens on shorter routes, which could be linked to the above point.
I’ve seen comments about tight hips and change of direction, but I wonder if moving him to safety/nickel can cause further issues with him being a little grabby like he is here. pic.twitter.com/4vzKeOkJeZ
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) May 6, 2024
– He will sometimes rely on his speed to bail him out if he loses at the LOS, but can’t do this as much at the next level.
Overall
I think DeJean will make it as an outside cornerback, but I don’t really care where he ends up. This was my summary of DeJean in my Draft Guide, and nothing has changed since watching him some more.
I don’t know if DeJean is twitchy enough with his change of direction to be an elite outside cornerback, but I’m not really sure I care. He’s a fantastic player and will make plays at outside cornerback, nickel cornerback, or at safety. The Eagles need good young players in the secondary, so I’d be happy with him at 22.
After watching him some more since the Eagles drafted him, I feel pretty good about his chances at outside cornerback. I think he can do it.
My only worry with DeJean is that his versatility is to his detriment. Sometimes teams can use players like DeJean to plug holes in their defense when they pop up due to injuries throughout the season. Whilst I understand this for the sake of the team, I think it can harm a player’s development. Vic Fangio’s system isn’t easy to learn for a rookie, and I would rather give DeJean a specific role to focus on and learn this year, before moving him onto other responsibilities.
Personally, I would use DeJean as an outside corner in year 1, and I think he’s ahead of James Bradberry and should start as the Eagles’ outside CB3 behind Quinyon Mitchell and Darius Slay. However, if the Eagles decided that he could immediately start as a nickel corner then I would be fine with them starting him there this year. I love Avonte Maddox, but I think DeJean could keep him out of the starting lineup as a rookie because I really believe in this player’s talent. I wouldn’t look to move DeJean to safety unless he consistently struggles as a corner.
Whatever happens, I just hope the Eagles don’t rush things with DeJean and allow him to properly develop at a certain position for the majority of the year. If that happens, the potential is sky-high with DeJean because he is a legitimately fantastic athlete with bags of upside. I would have taken him at 22, and I still don’t understand how the Eagles managed to get him at 40. Howie Roseman deserves huge credit for trading up for him when he had the chance, and I’m not sure what the other 31 general managers were thinking.
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