Cooper DeJean

Draft Notes: Newton, Lions, Latu, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, Eagles, Broncos, Cardinals, Commanders, Giants, Panthers

April 16th, 2024 at 4:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Wednesday marks the final day for “30” visits during this year’s cycle. Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton is on the way back from a January surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his foot. Newton went through a belated pro day in Champaign on Tuesday, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, who noted more than eight teams were in attendance. The Lions are not one of the teams Schultz named, but the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett notes Newton did go through a visit with the defending NFC North champs. A first-team All-American and reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Newton played through his foot injury last season — a 7.5-sack slate. The acclaimed DT, who ranks as the No. 32 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, also recorded 14.5 tackles for loss in 2022.

Here is the latest from the draft scene:

Speaking of the Lions, they are also believed to be high on NC State linebacker Payton Wilson, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman notes (subscription required). Last season’s Bednarik award winner (given to Division I-FBS’ top defender), Wilson ranks 41st on Jeremiah’s big board. In need at linebacker, the Cowboys are also believed to be intrigued by Wilson, though Feldman adds some teams are too concerned about his medical history to consider drafting him. Season-ending knee and shoulder injuries halted Wilson in 2018 and 2021, respectively, but the six-year Wolfpack cog has been healthy over the past two years.
The Bills have brought in two likely first-round defenders, hosting edge rusher Laiatu Latu and cornerback Cooper DeJean (via Schultz and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Holding the No. 28 overall pick, Buffalo saw a concerning season from Von Miller (zero sacks after a second ACL rehab journey) and did not re-sign Leonard Floyd. The Bills also released Tre’Davious White and have not replaced him. While wide receiver is the buzz position in Buffalo given the exits of longtime performers, the Bills also have some needs to address on defense.
A fourth team booked a visit with Alabama tackle JC Latham. The first-round-level tackle will meet with the Jets tonight and Wednesday, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. One of seven tackles Jeremiah places among his top 25 overall prospects, Latham has already met with the Cardinals, Titans and Bears. The Jets have been linked to an O-line investment, and the prospect of moving down from No. 10 has also come up for Gang Green.
Both the Alabama cornerbacks expected to go off the board early in this draft booked more visits before the Wednesday deadline. Terrion Arnold met with the Titans on Monday, Rapoport adds, while Kool-Aid McKinstry visited the Eagles (via the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane). With Darius Slay and James Bradberry set to begin the season north of 31st birthdays, the Eagles have been tied to corners. The Titans acquired L’Jarius Sneed via trade and signed Chidobe Awuzie; this would seemingly take Tennessee out of the early-round CB mix. Though, the team did lose Sean Murphy-Bunting and has seen ex-first-rounder Caleb Farley prove undependable.
Although the Texans have taken multiple fliers on former top-10 corners (Jeff Okudah, C.J. Henderson), they may be interested in bolstering their cornerback corps with a higher-upside player. Houston hosted Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw on Monday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. A Texas native, Rakestraw (Jeremiah’s No. 28 overall prospect) allowed just one touchdown on 28 targets last season, per Wilson. The 5-foot-11 defender broke up 11 passes with the Tigers in 2023.
This draft features a number of tackles set to go off the board in Round 1, but the second round could produce some investments at the position. The Giants, Jets and Commanders scheduled late visits with Arizona’s Jordan Morgan, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan tweets. Jeremiah’s No. 49 overall player, Morgan also visited the Bills, Broncos, Cardinals and Panthers, Wilson adds, noting also the three-year Wildcats starter worked out for the Texans during the pre-draft process. Morgan earned first-team All-Pac-12 recognition last season.

Latest On Eagles’ First-Round Options

April 14th, 2024 at 8:47pm CST by Ely Allen

The Eagles were able to avoid the hangover that has often haunted past Super Bowl runner ups, making the playoffs last year after an 11-6 regular season before falling in the Wild Card round to the Buccaneers. As a result, they hold the 22nd pick of the 2024 NFL Draft and will now be tasked with finding a player at that value to help them get back to the big game.

So, the question becomes: where on the roster could the Eagles use the most improvement? Cornerback has been a common position people have pointed to in Philadelphia, one of those people being Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, and this year’s crop of draft prospects is well-suited to fill that need.

The team’s starters, Darius Slay (33) and James Bradberry (31), are aging and struggled in 2023, as did oft-injured veteran Avonte Maddox. Slay missed the final four games of the regular season and didn’t perform well in his playoff return. Bradberry rebounded horribly from his 2022 second-team All-Pro selection. After grading out as the league’s 27th best cornerback in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Bradberry ranked 100th of 127 graded corners in 2023.

Maddox had been released and re-signed after an injury-riddled 2022 season then only appeared in four games in 2023. The Eagles have young prospects in Kelee Ringo, Eli Ricks, and Josh Jobe who show promise, but none seem ready to take on a full-time role.

There are about four cornerbacks expected to go in the first round, and thanks to likely early runs at offensive positions, a number of them should still be around by the time Philadelphia selects. Top cornerback prospects like Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry, Clemson’s Nate Wiggins, Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell, and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean all stand a decent chance at becoming the Eagles’ first cornerback taken in the first round since Lito Sheppard in 2002.

ESPN’s Matt Miller offered up another possibility if Philadelphia opts not to draft a cornerback. Although not necessarily a position of need, Miler suggests that offensive tackle may be a target for the Eagles, pointing specifically to Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton, who has been training with Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson, a fellow Sooner. Philadelphia boasted an impressive bookend with Jordan Mailata and Johnson ranking as the league’s third- and 13th-best tackle in the league, per PFF. So why would they draft a tackle?

Miller points to the teams handling of Jason Kelce, whose eventual retirement seemed to loom every offseason. They attempted to stay ahead of the decision, drafting Nebraska center Cam Jurgens with the 2022 second-round pick. Miller see them potentially doing the same with Johnson, who turns 34 years old shortly after the draft. Guyton may be able to come in and essentially redshirt until a job opens up for him to take over.

Prospect Profile: Cooper DeJean

April 13th, 2024 at 10:10pm CST by Ely Allen

The University of Iowa has been a bit of a surprise team of late with a number of former Hawkeyes going pro and making a big impact in the NFL. Joining the ranks of Lukas Van Ness, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, Tyler Linderbaum, and Tristan Wirfs, junior cornerback Cooper DeJean is expected to be the next Iowa alum selected early in an NFL draft.

DeJean grew up in Iowa as a multi-sport athlete, excelling in baseball, basketball, track, and football. At OABCIG HS in Ida Grove, Iowa, DeJean was a star athlete on the gridiron, playing wide receiver, quarterback, and defensive back while also returning punts. He earned All-State honors as a receiver his sophomore year and then led his team to undefeated, state championship seasons at quarterback the following two years.

Despite ranking as a consensus four-star recruit and a top-ten safety in the nation, according to 247sports.com, DeJean only garnered one FBS offer. His first offer came from Iowa Western CC before he earned offers from FCS programs like Illinois State, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and Northern Iowa. He earned his first and only FBS offer from the Hawkeyes following a Junior Day visit and committed two months later.

At Iowa, DeJean played sparingly as a freshman, appearing in seven games and making one start but staying mostly off the stat sheet. His sophomore season was a different story as he exploded onto the scene. Starting all 13 games in his second season with the Hawkeyes, DeJean finished the season with second-team All-Big Ten honors after leading the team with five interceptions and 13 passes defensed while playing across from Broncos cornerback Riley Moss. DeJean demonstrated his return abilities on those interceptions, returning three of them for touchdowns. He also demonstrated his return abilities on returns, averaging 16.5 yards per return on ten punts fielded.

DeJean’s junior year at Iowa was similarly impressive. He received first-team All-Big Ten honors as both a defensive back and punt returner while also being named Big Ten DB of the Year and Big Ten PR of the Year. On 21 punt returns, DeJean had 241 return yards and a touchdown. Seeing far fewer targets, DeJean continued to produce as a cornerback with two interceptions and seven passes defensed, but a broken fibula in his right leg in November would require season-ending surgery that sidelined him for the remainder of the year and for the pre-draft process until very recently.

This past week, DeJean was able to host a private workout for scouts. He demonstrated an impressive explosiveness on his vertical and broad jump and clocked in at 4.42 seconds (unofficial) for his 40-yard dash, per Jeff Risdon of USA Today. The mini-pro day did much to prove that his recovery was progressing well and that the injury likely won’t be a factor in his rookie season.

DeJean is slightly shorter than the prototypical cornerback size (just over six feet tall), but as an athlete who was moved around to safety and hybrid roles in Iowa City, he has decent size to go along with his above average speed. His reaction time can be a hindrance at times, but he often masks it with great anticipation. His playing experience as a quarterback, receiver, and cornerback gives him a unique insight that allows him to anticipate better than most other defenders. He’s one of the better tackling cornerbacks in this draft and plays physical even when the opponent is not carrying the ball. His combination of speed and physicality allow him to use a variety of man coverage techniques with success. His lack of solid reaction time leads to the occasional overrunning of a route, and he can get grabby to avoid losing coverage, but these are rare occasions in what is usually stellar coverage.

ESPN’s Matt Miller ranks DeJean as the fourth-best cornerback and the 26th-best prospect overall. Dane Brugler of The Athletic seems to agree, slotting DeJean as the fourth-best corner and the 25th-best prospect overall. DeJean seems like a no-brainer in the mid- to late- first round. He shows versatility with experience playing all over the secondary and becomes an immediate special teams asset as a rookie. DeJean will hope to land with a team who can utilize him early and often as he attempts to join LaPorta, Linderbaum, and George Kittle as the most recent Pro Bowl Hawkeyes in 2024.

Draft Notes: Odunze, DeJean, Nabers, Chargers, Lions, Bucs, Jags, Steelers

April 5th, 2024 at 5:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

While reports have indicated some teams prefer Malik Nabers to Marvin Harrison Jr., Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline offers a stance that could further muddy the waters among the draft’s top wide receivers. Several teams have Rome Odunze slotted higher than Nabers on their big boards. Although transfers have populated the QB ranks in this class, the top three receivers only played at one school. Odunze starred at Washington for the past two seasons, posting two 1,100-yard campaigns and elevating his stock further last year. He clocked a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, a tenth slower than Nabers ran at LSU’s pro day. Odunze, who booked visits with the Cardinals, Bears and Jets, did not run at his pro day.

The 6-foot-3, 212-pound talent ripped off 10 100-yard games last season, including five straight to help the Huskies into the CFP national championship game. Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board slots Odunze fifth overall — one spot behind Nabers — while Daniel Jeremiah agrees with the teams that have Odunze higher, ranking the Washington prospect third overall — between Harrison and Nabers. All three could be gone in the top seven or eight choices. This certainly raises the stakes for the Cardinals, who have a glaring WR need and have been linked to a trade-down move from No. 4.

Here is the latest coming out of the draft:

In addition to Nabers’ Cardinals visit this week, NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe notes he made a trip to Los Angeles to meet with the new Chargers staff. The Chargers having jettisoned Keenan Allen and Mike Williams makes them an obvious team to monitor for one of the top receivers. If the Cardinals trade out of No. 4, L.A. would be positioned to land the draft’s top WR prospect at 5. Of course, the Chargers have also been linked to moving down. And Jim Harbaugh‘s past and some recent comments have made it worth monitoring if the Bolts value a receiver this high.
After suffering a broken fibula in November, Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean is ready for football work. The highly touted cover man sent a letter to all 32 teams informing them he is cleared for all football actitives, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. DeJean will hold a workout April 8 in Iowa City. Jeremiah ranks the ex-Hawkeyes standout 25th on his big board; Kiper has the 6-1 defender 21st. DeJean, who notched five INTs and three pick-sixes as a sophomore in 2022, left school early despite the injury.
The Jaguars are spending some time on other corners in this draft, specifically those from Alabama. They used “30” visits on both Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. The Buccaneers and Lions also met with McKinstry, according to Schultz and the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. The Jags cut two-year starter Darious Williams but replaced him with Ronald Darby, though the latter is 30 and tied to a two-year deal that features a fairly easy out in 2025. Cameron Sutton‘s arrest and ensuing release leaves the Lions in need at corner, despite Detroit having signed Amik Robertson and traded for Carlton Davis. The Bucs trading Davis frees up a spot at corner in Tampa opposite Jamel Dean. Arnold rates higher than McKinstry, who came into last season as a better prospect. Jeremiah ranks McKinstry 36th overall. More visits are likely, considering McKinstry sat out the Combine with a toe fracture but still clocked a 4.47-second 40 time (at Alabama’s pro day) despite not yet undergoing surgery.
Nate Wiggins clocked a blazing 4.28 time at the Combine, elevating his stock. The Clemson product visited the Steelers on Thursday, per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski. A first-team All-ACC choice who posted two pick-sixes with the ACC program, Wiggins played all three of his college seasons at Clemson. The Steelers releasing Patrick Peterson but added Donte Jackson. The trade pickup’s contract expires after 2024, however, and the 6-foot-1 Wiggins is among those the team is looking into as a longer-term option opposite Joey Porter Jr.

NFL Draft Notes: Harrison, LSU, Texas, DeJean, Bowers

March 2nd, 2024 at 4:06pm CST by Ely Allen

We truly are starting to see a new era of pre-draft football in the NFL. On a day in which we saw every quarterback in the first group of passers except for Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman opt out of running the 40-yard dash, we continue to report on prospects who are seeing the NFL’s scouting combine as less and less of a priority.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, star Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will not be participating in any of the testing at the combine. It doesn’t stop there, though, as Harrison has made the decision to not even train for those types of drills in the runup to the draft. Harrison will continue to work on pure football drills, allowing his tape to do the talking.

Players like Harrison have the luxury of this approach. For the last two years, Harrison has widely been considered the top wide receiver prospect in this year’s crop. He only solidified that status with a second straight stellar season with the Buckeyes. He has a fairly good idea of where he’s going to fall in the draft, so he doesn’t feel the need to display his full set of abilities in an attempt to up his draft stock. Instead, he will focus on team interviews and preparing for the more practical aspects of NFL readiness. Breer also informs us that Harrison will head to the league without an agent, joining another recent trend.

The combine and pro days remain a crucial part of the pre-draft process for many of the mid- to late-round prospects, but for top players, workouts like these are beginning to become more and more superfluous.

Here are a few other draft rumors as the combine continues:

On the topic of non-participants, LSU Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels and his wide receiver Malik Nabers have both opted out of their workouts in Indianapolis, choosing to work out at their pro day, instead. Today we found out that both players are also skipping the measurements portion of the combine, as well, per ESPN’s Field Yates. The two Tigers will submit to measurements at their pro day before workouts.
One name that’s been climbing draft boards of late is Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy. Murphy’s versatility across the line has scouts excited and makes him a fit for pretty much every squad. Reflecting this, Murphy reportedly had 25 official interviews set up at the combine, according to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda. Pauline also reports that the Raiders, Colts, Seahawks, and Vikings have all scheduled to bring him in for an official-30 visit. The list of suitors for the Longhorn defender likely won’t stop there.
Another top Texas prospect, running back Jonathon Brooks continues to make his way back from ACL surgery that ended his final season in Austin. The top rusher on both ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s and Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s boards, Brooks is reportedly “healing well and as expected,” per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. While he obviously won’t be participating in any pre-draft workouts, he’s expected to be cleared for training camp.
Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean‘s leg injury continues to hold him out of football activities in the leadup to the draft. After already learning that he wouldn’t be available to workout at the combine, Greg Auman of FOX Sports informs us that DeJean will also not participate in physical activities at Iowa’s pro day. DeJean claims to be fully cleared from the fracture in his lower leg and that he will work out at some point before the draft, but it looks like scouts will have to make personal trips out to Iowa City in order to workout DeJean.
Finally, one more top draft prospect made the decision not to workout at the combine this year. Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, the top prospect at his position per both Kiper and Brugler and a likely top-10 pick, will not work out in Indianapolis. Scouts interested in seeing this Bulldog in action will have to make their way out to Georgia’s pro day.

NFL Draft Rumors: Williams, DeJean, Newton

February 24th, 2024 at 5:35pm CST by Ely Allen

This week we got news that USC quarterback Caleb Williams, widely expected to be the No. 1 overall draft selection this April, will reportedly enter the NFL without representation, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports. This isn’t totally unheard of as we’ve seen quite a few NFL players of late accomplish new deals without an agent, but the situation is a little different for a potential top pick.

We’ve seen defenders like Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, and, more recently, Roquan Smith sign new contracts while representing themselves. More in the realm of Williams, we recently saw Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson go through both the draft process and his first major extension without an agent.

Jackson was selected 32nd overall, while Williams is expected to be picked much earlier in the night. That means the deal that Williams will negotiate for himself will be worth quite a bit more money than Jackson’s rookie deal was worth. Still, rookie contracts are fairly restricted in how they can be built, so there shouldn’t be a ton of wiggle room in which Williams may mess something up.

Where Florio thinks the lack of representation could hinder Williams is in the leadup to the draft. He suggests that the agents of other quarterbacks or draft prospects hoping to supplant Williams’ top draft positioning will “spend the next two months trying to get teams to take their clients instead of Williams,” a process that can get dirty with negative framing being used to lessen the appeal of Williams. With a lack of representation, Williams would lack an advocate to appeal against the negative things being used against him.

Here are a few other recent rumors concerning the 2024 NFL Draft:

Scouts and draft pundits will be disappointed to learn that Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean will not be participating in the testing at next week’s NFL Scouting Combine, according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic. DeJean is reportedly still working his way back from a leg injury he sustained late in the season. Widely expected to be selected on Day 1 of the draft, he is considered one of the more athletic prospects in the class and likely would have drawn lots of eyes in Indianapolis. Instead, DeJean plans to work out for teams much closer to the draft at the end of April.
Brugler reported that another likely first-round pick will not be working out at the Combine. Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton will sit out next week as he continues to recover from a January surgery that he underwent in order to repair a partial Jones fracture in his foot. He had been able to play through the injury through the second half of the 2023 season but, obviously, wished to repair the injury before heading to the league. Newton is expected to be cleared in time for an April pro day.

Iowa CB Cooper DeJean Declares For Draft

January 5th, 2024 at 10:28am CST by Sam Robinson

Teams that have taken cornerbacks early in the first round have benefited tremendously in recent years. Sauce Gardner and Patrick Surtain have become early All-Pros, while Derek Stingley has been central to the Texans’ resurgence. Devon Witherspoon has made an impact in Seattle, making the Pro Bowl in Year 1.

This draft strategy obviously is not bulletproof, but teams eyeing an early-draft CB investment will have an option in Iowa’s Cooper DeJean. The junior Hawkeyes corner announced he will enter the 2024 draft. DeJean sits 14th on Mel Kiper Jr.’s ESPN.com big board, slotted as the top draft-eligible cornerback.

Teaming with 2023 Broncos third-round pick Riley Moss in 2022, DeJean intercepted five passes that season and returned three of those picks for touchdowns. This season, the 6-foot-1 cover man sustained what the team called a lower-leg injury in practice. This occurred back in mid-November, and it sidelined DeJean for the rest of his final college season. Assuming DeJean can bounce back from that during pre-draft preparation, the former four-star recruit will be a good bet to become a first-round pick.

The Iowa native has shown the ability to play outside and in the slot in college, which would certainly be of interest to a team in an era that has seen the role of the slot corner role exponentially. He spent two seasons as an Iowa starter and operated regularly on punt returns in that span as well. DeJean returned a punt for a touchdown against Michigan State this season, after averaging 16.5 yards per punt return as a sophomore (on just 10 returns).

The Hawkeyes have made a noticeable imprint on the NFL in recent years. Lukas Van Ness, Jack Campbell and Sam LaPorta went off last year’s draft board in the top 34. Van Ness and Campbell followed Tristan Wirfs and Tyler Linderbaum as Iowa alums chosen in Round 1 this decade. Putting together one of the best seasons by a rookie tight end in NFL history, LaPorta joined Linderbaum and George Kittle as ex-Hawkeyes selected for the Pro Bowl this week.