As the 2024 NFL Draft approaches, we continue to dive into not only the best players in this years class, but those who would be perfect fits for the Green Bay Packers.
One player who projects as not only a surefire scheme fit, but an excellent addition to the Packers middling secondary is cornerback, Cooper DeJean.
DeJean, Iowa, is a third-year player who ranks fourth on my CB board this year. The long, physical playmaker projects nicely as a do-it-all corner who would slot nicely into a secondary that recently signed free-agent safety, Xavier McKinney this offseason.
So let’s dive into DeJean’s profile, and why I think he would present excellent value for the Packers at the 25th pick of this year’s NFL Draft.
Measuring just over 6’0 and 203 lbs at the NFL Combine, DeJean is a strong corner who consistently uses his strength to wreak havoc at the line of scrimmage for opposing receivers. This shows up all over his 2023 tape, where he excelled in press-man coverage.
Furthermore, his zone coverage skills are exceptional. You’ll find him constantly matching and recognizing route patterns, “squeezing” onto opposing playmakers in a heartbeat, and communicating route combinations to his teammates pre-snap. DeJean’s overall zone instincts might just be the best in the class, as I see Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett as the only other corner who rivals DeJean in this type of coverage.
But one aspect of his game that should be equally praised is DeJean’s run-defense, which is as good as you’ll find in a cornerback prospect. His athletic profile allows him to fly across the field to make plays other corners simply couldn’t, such as this clip of him traveling across hashes to make a fantastic tackle.
Cooper DeJean navigating quickly to match with the underneath route on 3rd down pic.twitter.com/QNhnyD3rNx
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 8, 2024
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.
But aside from the grading of strengths and weaknesses we observe in every prospect, it’s DeJean’s positional flexibility that I believe makes him an intriguing consideration for the Packers at pick 25.
Some scouts suggest he could see the field in more of a safety role in the NFL. While I believe he does possess the athletic tools to be a starting cornerback, DeJean might just be more suited for this position, or even see snaps at slot-corner.
“Budda Baker is a guy who I’ve watched quite a bit,” he said in an interview during the NFL Combine. Baker is widely regarded as a top safety in the NFL.
Overall, Cooper DeJean’s athletic profile and coverage instincts create a floor of solid production at any level of the secondary in the NFL. This, as well as his schematic flexibility certainly make him a hot commodity in the first round of the NFL Draft, and a prospect the Packers should absolutely be considering.
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