Iowa’s Cooper DeJean A Potential First-Round Pick
Cooper DeJean's NFL Draft Odds Are Trending In the Right Direction As the Draft Approaches
Is Cooper DeJean Ready to Become the Next Great Cornerback in the NFL?
While quarterbacks and receivers are expected to fly off the board early in the first round, the same is not expected to hold true for cornerbacks. However, when looking at Cooper DeJean’s NFL Draft odds, the former Iowa star is rising fast on many teams’ draft boards.
White cornerbacks are often in the discussion to be first-round picks or be taken at all. Jason Seahorn was the last white cornerback to start a regular-season game in the NFL, and he retired in 2003.
While it is possible that DeJean could shift to safety, the feeling is that he will have a chance to be a cornerback at the next level.
When looking at the NFL Draft odds, DeJean is priced at +7500 to be the No. 6 pick, he comes in at +6000 to go with the eighth-overall selection while he has +6500 and +7500 odds to land at either No. 9 or No. 10. It seems more likely that he lands in the second half of the first round.
The NFL Draft begins on April 25 with the first round. Rounds 2 and 3 are on April 26, with the final four rounds on April 27. The draft will be held in Detroit.
Hard to Argue With the Production
DeJean had 41 tackles in 10 games with two interceptions, five pass breakups, and two tackles for loss in 2023 for an Iowa team that was seventh among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total defense, fourth in scoring defense, and fifth in passing defense, according to the NCAAF stats.
DeJean missed the matchup with eventual national champion Michigan in the Big Ten title game and also didn’t play in Iowa’s bowl game against Tennessee, so those were two chances for DeJean to thrive against elite competitions that never happened.
DeJean had 75 tackles and five interceptions during the 2022 season. Both of those numbers are important since NFL teams love cornerbacks who are willing to be physical in run support and also value ball skills. He tied for the national lead in 2022 when three interceptions being returned for touchdowns.
There is really nothing about DeJean’s time at Iowa that should scare away NFL general managers from using a first-round pick on DeJean.
Checks All the Boxes
While other cornerbacks in this class have better 40-yard times, the fact that his stock has been rising since he went through the various running and jumping tests in front of NFL scouts speaks volumes about how his athleticism projects to the next level.
At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds when he played at Iowa, he has the size that NFL teams are looking for at the cornerback position, and that factors into Cooper DeJean’s NFL Draft odds.
It doesn’t hurt that some pretty talented cornerbacks have come out of the Big Ten in recent years or that he has plenty of tape against NFL-caliber receivers over the last three seasons.
Looking to be Special
Cooper DeJean’s NFL Draft odds certainly aren’t hurt by his ability to return punts.
DeJean returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown against Michigan State and averaged 11.5 yards on 21 punt returns during the 2023 season.
Only five Football Bowl Subdivision players who had at least 20 punt returns averaged more yards per return than DeJean.
Players who can contribute on special teams, especially in the return game, are valued commodities, which could help push him up a few spots when the 2024 NFL Draft gets underway.
Looking At the CB Rankings
Alabama’s Terrion Arnold is the cornerback expected to be the first to come off the board, with teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry not far behind, according to the NFL Draft odds.
Toledo’s Quiyon Mitchell, Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, DeJean, and Ennis Rakestraw have been showing up in recent mock drafts as potential first-round picks, with Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter another player to watch.
DeJean is the only one of those players who weigh more than 200 pounds.
Where Will Be Land?
DeJean has been showing up in the 20s in many of the mock drafts. That could give DeJean a chance to step in and play for a team pretty high up in the NFL power rankings.
It is not unusual for cornerbacks with first-round grades to drop into the second round as teams value other positions in the draft process. That happened with Penn State‘s Joey Porter in 2023, and he ended up being one of the more productive rookie cornerbacks during the 2023 NFL season.
Keep an eye on teams that play primarily zone defense because with his size and speed combination, he looks like a perfect fit to play for teams that perfect defensive systems similar to the Cover-2 scheme that helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the first of the franchise’s two Super Bowls.
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