DETROIT — Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean is headed to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philly took the Hawkeye defensive back No. 40 overall (Round 2, Pick 8) on Friday night in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Hawkeye amassed plenty of accolades during his college career, including joining the first-team nods for the Associated Press All-American and Big Ten Conference squads as well as winning Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and Return Specialist of the Year in 2023.
According to NFL.com, his 2024 Combine CB Rank was second with a production score of 87, athleticism score of 79 and total score of 85.
Measurements
- 6'0 1/2", 203 lbs.
- 31 1/8" Arms
- 9 5/8" Hands
Local 5 Sports Director Reina Garcia sat down with Locked On NFL Draft podcast co-host and senior NFL draft analyst for the Draft Network Keith Sanchez to talk about DeJean's prospects on Wednesday.
Sanchez cited DeJean's versatility on the field as a potential reason for his selection.
"So I think Cooper DeJean is exciting is because, I think, this is a player that can play corner, right at a high level. But then also in certain situations, you can move on to the safety position. And we know how to NFL is transitioning to having these guys right with five, six defensive backs on the field," Sanchez said. "But Cooper DeJean is a guy that while you bring a defensive back and you have him on the field, you're not losing physicality, either, because he's a guy that will come down and he will make the big tackle in a big hit."
DeJean's not the only in-state prospect Iowans could be celebrating: T.J. Tampa (Iowa State), Erick All (Iowa), Tory Taylor (Iowa), Logan Lee (Iowa) and Khristian Boyd (Northern Iowa) have a chance in the later rounds.
The draft will be televised on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.
What time does the 2024 NFL Draft start?
- Rounds 2 & 3: Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m. CT
- Rounds 4-7: Saturday, April 27 at 11 a.m. CT