We continue to examine not only the top players in this year’s class but also those who would be ideal fits for the Green Bay Packers as the 2024 NFL Draft draws near.
Cooper DeJean, a cornerback, is one athlete who appears to be both a perfect fit for the Packers’ mediocre secondary and a guaranteed scheme fit.
This year, DeJean, an Iowa native in his third year of play, comes in fourth on my CB board. The tall, strong playmaker fits in well as a versatile cornerback in a secondary that added safety Xavier McKinney as a free agency this year.
Let’s examine DeJean’s profile and the reasons why, in my opinion, the Packers would be well-served by selecting him with the 25th overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
DeJean, a powerful cornerback who measured just over 6’0 and 203 pounds at the NFL Combine, regularly uses his muscle to cause havoc for opposing receivers at the line of scrimmage. He demonstrated exceptional press-man coverage in his 2023 tape, which is evident throughout.
are unique. He’s always matching and identifying route patterns, “squeezing” onto the opposition’s playmakers in an instant, and letting his teammates know what routes to take before the snap. I believe that DeJean has the finest overall zone instincts in the class; the only other corner who can compete with him in this kind of coverage is Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett.
As outstanding as you’ll find in a cornerback prospect, DeJean’s run defence is another facet of his game that deserves equal recognition. He can make plays other corners just couldn’t, as demonstrated by this clip in which he darts across hashes to make an incredible tackle, thanks to his athletic profile.
While there is much praise to be had in DeJean’s profile, there is certainly room to grow, as with any prospect.
One knock on him is the lack of flexibility he shows in his movement, particularly in his hips. In situations where he’s forced to change directions or stop and start, DeJean can lack the ability to match receivers and provide the sticky coverage you look for when defending proficient double moves.
With this note, it will be worth monitoring how DeJean is able to handle the top-tier route runners of the NFL. Elite route runners like Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, or Cooper Kupp, are going to be the profile of player DeJean might struggle against.
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