The Philadelphia Eagles double dipped at cornerback in the 2024 NFL draft, selecting Quinyon Mitchell out of Toledo with the 22nd pick in Round 1 before nabbing Iowa’s Cooper DeJean at No. 40 overall in the second round.
While the expectations are high for both young Eagles defensive backs, Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report believes DeJean in particular will “underperform” as a rookie this coming season.
“DeJean is eventually going to be a weapon in the secondary,” Ballentine wrote on July 10. “He has great ball skills and can play a variety of alignments. But that progression might be slower than most would like from a high-profile draft pick.”
The Eagles also have a loaded DBs room, which could potentially result in DeJean seeing the field less.
What Expectations Should We Have for Eagles CB Cooper DeJean as a Rookie?
DeJean’s playing time will likely depend on injuries and how well he gets acclimated to new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense.
The 6-foot-1, 203-pound DeJean was a multi-faceted playmaker over his three seasons with the Hawkeyes. In addition to playing cornerback, DeJean also made his mark returning punts and kickoffs. He returned 31 punts over his collegiate career, averaging an impressive 13.1 yards per return, also scoring a touchdown. DeJean also found the end zone as a defender, scoring three times as a defensive back for Iowa.
#Eagles Cooper DeJean is an athletic specimen and somehow he fell right to their hands 🤯
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“His versatility was undoubtedly a strength that the Eagles liked, but it could make it hard for him to make an impression as a rookie,” Ballentine noted. “Defensive backs coach Christian Parker has acknowledged they are giving DeJean reps at multiple positions without trying to put too much on his plate.”
In addition to Mitchell and DeJean, vets Darius Slay, Eli Ricks and Isaiah Rodgers will be in the mix at corner for Philadelphia. With the outside full of capable bodies, Ballentine thinks the stocked slot CB spot could be where DeJean lands.
“It would appear slot is his best bet to get on the field early, but the Eagles have competition everywhere in the secondary. Avonte Maddox has a ton of experience in the role and C.J. Gardner-Johnson is always an option for it too,” Ballentine added.
Tyler Hall and Mario Goodrich are also expected to be in competition for slot corner, so DeJean won’t face an easy task when it comes to earning playing time, at least not early on in the regular season.
DeJean Open for Whatever Comes in 2024
For his part, DeJean says he’s down to play any position Philadelphia asks him to play.
“I’m a football player,” the rookie DB said after getting drafted in April, via NFL.com “You put me on the field and I’m going to go play football, whether it’s inside, outside, at safety, wherever it is.”
Safety is an interesting idea, given the Eagles’ struggles at the position last year. Philly moved veteran corner James Bradberry over to safety this year, so the team seems open to putting different players in the middle.
While it’s too early to predict exactly where DeJean will line up this coming season, it’s probably wise to temper expectations regardless. Rookies at all positions tend to take a bit of time getting acclimated to the speed of the pro game.
That said, it’s also fair to feel excitement about DeJean’s potential as a playmaker on special teams, as well as on defense. It’ll be fun to see what he does with the opportunities he gets.
