Cooper DeJean could go where no Iowa DB under Kirk Ferentz has gone before
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Cooper DeJean has a chance to accomplish what even the great Bob Sanders didn’t accomplish as a star defensive back.
DeJean is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday.
If that were to happen, he would become the first Iowa defensive back under Kirk Ferentz to be taken in round one, and the first Iowa defensive taken in the first round since Tom Knight was picked by Arizona with the ninth pick overall in the 1997 draft.
Sanders was selected in the second round of the 2004 draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
He would go on to win a Super Bowl with the Colts and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
Former Iowa All-America cornerback Josh Jackson was also selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers. He is currently an NFL free agent.
DeJean declared for the draft as a third-year junior, and after starting for just two seasons for Iowa at cornerback.
He saw action in seven games as a freshman, mostly on special teams, and then quickly rose to stardom in 2022 as a play-making cornerback and punt returner.
DeJean was also having a standout junior season this past fall as a lock-down cornerback and punt return before fracturing his fibula in practice in mid-November. He missed the final four games of the regular season and the Citrus Bowl.
He has since made a full recovery as shown with his performance in individual workouts leading up to the draft.
DeJean held his own individual Pro Day for NFL scouts earlier this month and showcased his athleticism.
He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash as timed by an NFL scout. He also posted a 10-yard split of 1.55 seconds and a vertical jump of 38.5 inches.
Those numbers combined with his size at 6-foot-1 and 207 pounds, and with his on-field performance makes DeJean worthy of first-round consideration.
The fact that he played for Iowa also probably works to his benefit, given Iowa’s success in developing NFL defensive backs under Phil Parker.
Iowa has had 18 defensive backs selected in the NFL draft since Parker started coaching defensive backs under Kirk Ferentz in 1999.
“I know that wherever he goes, he’s going to be successful, and I think the opportunity, the way these guys study the game of football kind of helps them out in their further career, and I think they’ve seen that with other guys that went through this program and are playing in the league right now,” Parker said. “And obviously, some guys are getting their second contracts that they’re kind of aware of and how they went about their business.”
“I think they see that, and I think most of the guys that come out of here that are draftable, they seem to stick on the team just because of the work ethic that they have and the routines that they set during the week of how they’ve got to prepare, and I think the same thing is going to carry over to the NFL, and I think that’s what helps them out a lot.”
DeJean was a multi-sport star in high school and was known for his rim-rattling dunks in basketball and for his speed in track and field where he was a state champion sprinter.
The Odebolt native also played quarterback in high school and led his team to back-to-back state titles as a junior and senior. He combined for 6,993 passing yards and 2,527 rushing yards as a junior and senior.
DeJean could’ve played basketball in college, or pursued a career in track and field, but he was convinced that football is where he had the most potential.
And so were the Iowa coaches.
They were all right in this case.
In just three years, Cooper DeJean has gone from being a kid from a small town in Iowa, who was just grateful for the opportunity to be a Hawkeye, to now being on the cusp of NFL riches.
He already has fame with Hawkeye fans, and will forever be linked to one of the greatest and most controversial plays in program history that was erased by an invalid fair catch signal.
His punt return for what was first ruled a touchdown in the final minutes against Minnesota, a play in which DeJean spun past several Gopher defenders before crossing the field and reaching the end zone, will be etched in the minds of Hawkeye fans forever.
DeJean, to this day, says it wasn’t a fair catch, and Iowa fans certainly agree with him.
As for other Hawkeye draft hopefuls, tight end Erick All Jr. has been listed in multiple mock drafts, including as high as the fourth round.
All only played in seven games as a Hawkeye after transferring from Michigan. He suffered a season-ending leg injury in the seventh game against Wisconsin, but has since reportedly made a full recovery.
All was leading Iowa with 299 receiving yards, 21 catches and three touchdown grabs when he was injured.
All-America punter Tory Taylor also could be picked in the mid-to-later rounds, or he could go the free agent route as specialists don’t seem to have much appeal in the draft.
Taylor was the 2023 Ray Guy Award winner as the nation’s best collegiate punter in 2023, and a four-year starter for Iowa.
He is also part of a growing trend of Australian punters that are currently having success as college and NFL punters.
Defensive end Joe Evans, defensive tackle Logan Lee and offensive lineman Rusty Feth are three more former Hawkeyes that could be taken in the draft.
Evans and Lee were multi-year starters for Iowa, while Feth started nine games at left guard last season after transferring from Miami (Ohio).
All three players would almost certainly have an opportunity to sign as a free agent if there were not to be drafted.
Iowa has had 85 players selected in the NFL draft under Kirk Ferentz, including 13 in the first round, dating back to the 2000 draft.
The first round of the 2024 NFL draft will be held on Thursday, followed by rounds two and three on Friday, and rounds four, five, six and seven on Saturday.
The event will be held at Hart Plaza in Detroit.
Iowa defensive backs selected in the NFL draft under Kirk Ferentz
2000 – Matt Bowen, Rd. 6, St. Louis
2003 – Derek Pagel, Rd. 5, New York Jets
2004 – Bob Sanders, Rd. 2, Indianapolis
2005 – Sean Considine, Rd. 4, Philadelphia
2008 – Charles Godfrey, Rd. 3, Carolina
2009 – Bradley Fletcher, Rd. 3, St. Louis
2019 – Amari Spievey, Rd. 3, Detroit
2011 – Tyler Sash, Rd. 6, New York Giants
2012 – Shaun Prater, Rd. 5, Cincinnati; Jordan Bernstine, Rd. 7, Washington
2013 – Micah Hyde, Rd. 5. Green Bay
2017 – Desmond King, Rd. 5, Los Angeles Chargers
2018 – Josh Jackson, Rd. 2, Green Bay
2019 – Amani Hooker, Rd. 4, Tennessee
2020 – Michael Ojemidia, Rd. 3, Denver; Geno Stone, Rd. 7, Baltimore
2022 – Dane Belton, Rd. 4, New York Giants
2023 – Riley Moss, Rd. 3, Denver