Name: Cooper DeJean

School: Iowa

Year: Junior

Position: Defensive back

Measurables: 6’ ½”, 203 lbs (Combine measurements)

 Pro day (April 8): ARM: 31.125”. HAND: 9.625”. VERTICAL: 38.5”. BROAD: 10’4”. 40-YD DASH: 4.43. 10-YD SPLIT: 1.53.

Stats:

Courtesy of Sports-Reference.com

General Info:

Take a moment to digest this stat: 146 individual touchdowns scored over three seasons (147 if you include the one he had as a freshman). Anybody with that kind of singular high school production would have many college programs lining up for his services. Not Cooper DeJean.

DeJean had very few major offers as a three-star recruit and 14th-rated player out of the state of Iowa in 2020. Out of tiny OABCIG High School in Ida Grove, Iowa, DeJean had offers from Illinois State, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and interest from Iowa State. He ultimately chose the Hawkeyes because of “the culture that (Iowa) has there and their coaching staff has been around a long time.”

Dejean played sparingly as a freshman in 2021 at Iowa–typical of a freshman under head coach Kirk Ferentz–and registered four tackles in seven games (one start).

As a sophomore in 2022, DeJean opened eyes to the type of talent he could be. He started in all 13 games (10 at corner, three at leo/cash, or “hybrid DB”). He totaled 75 tackles, five INT’s (three returned for touchdown), and eight pass break-ups. He was named MVP of the Music City Bowl and earned first-team All-Big Ten by league media.

DeJean continued his rise as a junior in 2023 and was named a unanimous first-team AP All-American at cornerback. He was named first-team All-Big Ten as a cornerback and return specialist, the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten defensive back of the year, and Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten return specialist of the year. He was also a Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award finalist. DeJean started 10 games at cornerback and tallied 41 tackles, two interceptions, and a punt return for a touchdown. (Ask any Iowa fan and he should have had another punt return for a touchdown).

DeJean did not participate in the Combine nor the pro day held at Iowa, but held a private pro day workout April 8th to display his skills. DeJean was recently medically cleared from a broken fibula he suffered at practice in November, which forced him to miss the final four games of the season. Turned 21 in February.

Positional skills:

Strengths

DeJean may be the most versatile defensive back available in the 2024 draft. Although he played primarily as a boundary cornerback at Iowa, he has the athleticism and skill set to play any corner spot or safety in the NFL. He has the skill set to be a Swiss army knife-type player in the NFL; he could thrive in the right defense as a player that can be moved around the defense. Registered 140 snaps from the slot in 2022.

He played safety in high school, and although that was a long time ago, he registered 10 interceptions (three returned for TD) back then. Fast forward to his college career, and DeJean moved to corner, not starting until his sophomore season. Through 20 starts (17 at corner and three at hybrid DB) over the last two seasons, DeJean had seven interceptions, three returned for touchdowns. DeJean has elite ball skills.

DeJean has exceptional instincts and awareness. Has great closing speed while defending receivers. Is excellent at mirroring receivers and is phenomenal in man coverage, although he played a healthy amount of zone in college. Per PFF, he allowed just 20 receptions on 46 targets (43.5% completion) in 2023 for a 37.8 NFL passer rating-against, good for 7th best among draft-eligible DB’s. In 2022, he allowed 37 receptions on 72 targets (51.4% completion) Held his own against Jaxon Smith-Njgba and Marvin Harrison in 2022.

While he is an exceptional defender, he is also a fantastic punt returner and gunner. DeJean is fearless when fielding punts and at times uses video game-like moves with the ball in his hands. He has a great feel for his blocking and space. Returned one (*two) punt for touchdown in 2023. Averaged 16.5 yards per return in 2022 after taking over return duties in week 10.

DeJean is a very reliable tackler and is one of the best cornerbacks in stopping the run. Registered 15 stops against the run in 2023, tied for best in Division I for cornerbacks. Missed just eight tackles over the last two seasons as a starter. Has exceptional play recognition in the run game and rarely whiffs on open field tackle attempts.

Weaknesses

For as successful as DeJean was at corner in college, he seems better suited in the slot or as a hybrid safety/slot corner/linebacker in the NFL. DeJean looks rigid in some of his coverages on the perimeter, and uses his athleticism to mask those deficiencies. DeJean could play on the outside and likely be fine, but he doesn’t look like a guy you can put on an island on the outside.

DeJean primarily played zone coverage, so his man skills are limited. DeJean only registered 64 coverage snaps in man in 2023. He only allowed two receptions on eight targets, but has a very limited repertoire going mano-a-mano against receivers.

He rarely played any press coverage, instead mostly lining up five-plus yards off the line of scrimmage. When he did play press, he appeared handsy and not as able to naturally disrupt receivers. When he did get beat, he appeared to be late turning to the football at times.

Take a look at the teams the Iowa Hawkeyes faced in 2023, and you will find they played a lot weak offenses. Take a broader look at DeJean’s 20 career starts, and three of his four lowest PFF grades came against elite teams: Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan. He faced each of those teams just once as a starter. Is the hype for real with DeJean, or was he just a product of facing weaker teams over the course of 20 starts? Can he handle playing against the upper echelon of talent in the NFL? Those will have to be questions GM’s have to consider before drafting him.

Fit with the Packers

Ah yes, here we are. Maybe the most polarizing and debated player in the fairy tale “Packer mock draft land”.

“He won’t be there at pick 25.” “He doesn’t fit with (free agent signee) Xavier McKinney. “He would be the perfect pick for Hafley’s defense.” “He sucks.”

These are real quotes, both that I’ve read and heard with my own ears about DeJean. Indeed, DeJean has become a popular pick among mock drafters, both in Packerland and in the national media. He fits a “need” and checks boxes that Gutey looks for in his draft picks: young, productive, versatile, athletic. And Gutey has dipped into the Hawkeye pool before, most recently last season with Lukas Van Ness.

I witnessed DeJean firsthand in his junior year of high school, as he single-handedly manhandled my younger brother’s high school football team in the state title game. The athleticism jumped out at me then, and it jumps out at me now. What I like about DeJean is that he seemingly got better every year since high school; his trajectory of success as a player continues to rise. And he’s a hard worker (he had to be at Iowa, where everything has to be earned).

Will he be there at pick 25? We don’t know. The draft has surprises every year. His out-of-this-world pro day may have upped his stock and moved his needle closer to the middle of the first round, seemingly out of Green Bay’s range. But Aaron Rodgers was seemingly out of Green Bay’s range when he was selected and we all know how that turned out.

Will he fit with Hafley’s defense? We don’t know. We don’t realistically know what Hafley’s defense will look like. We have an IDEA what it will look like, but an athletic player like DeJean would fit in no matter if he had a “spot” or not. Good coaches find ways to utilize good players.

The Packers need safety help, even with the signing of McKinney. The Packers need cornerback depth, especially with the injury history of Eric Stokes and recent injury history/antics of Jaire Alexander. Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine played well, but neither proved to be alphas on the field. DeJean could provide depth at both positions.

Let’s go back to when Charles Woodson was a Packer. Woodson was all over the field when he won defensive player of the year in 2009, lining up primarily at cornerback and in the slot. He played more in the box over his final few years in Green Bay, but was given free reign to go out and be a playmaker on the field. During his seven seasons in Green Bay, Woodson had 38 interceptions, 20 defensive touchdowns, and 16 forced fumbles. Impact plays from a playmaker.

I’m not going to go as far as to say DeJean will be Woodson–those are huge shoes to fill. But I think he could be utilized like Woodson was in Green Bay. I truly believe that with the trajectory DeJean is on, he will be an All-Pro someday, with possibly a defensive player-of-the-year award. If utilized properly, DeJean could be THAT playmaker for the Packers.

Realistically, Green Bay may have to trade up to draft DeJean; they have ammo to do so. Believe me, I love stockpiling picks as much as Gutey and don’t like the idea of giving up too much to move up in the first round. But if DeJean were to be an All-Pro, defensive player-of-the-year-type player for the next ten years, it would be well worth the move up to grab him.

I know what I’d be doing. I’d be pounding my fist on the table in that war room to make sure we acquired this kid. Because there is one thing we do know: he definitely doesn’t “suck.”

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