Eagles Rookie Review: Cooper DeJean is already one of, if not THE best, nickel defenders in the NFL

Philadelphia’s slot cornerback is very promising.

One of my favorite things to do every offseason is to go back and compare my post-draft notes on the Eagles’ rookies with how they actually looked when they got on the field. It’s a fun blend of film study, self-evaluation, and a check on how well certain traits really translate to the NFL. I won’t be writing full scouting reports, as I did that after the draft. This series is more about reflecting on his rookie season. Did the player perform as expected? Did anything surprise me? And what do I think comes next? At the end of each article, I’ll give my updated outlook for that player in the future.

Previously: Quinyon Mitchell

Cooper DeJean

One of the most intriguing rookies from last year’s class, Cooper DeJean, stepped into the NFL with plenty of hype and just as many questions about where he would play. You can find Cooper DeJean’s full post-draft review here.

You will see that I was a huge fan of DeJean going into the draft and had a firm conviction that he was worth a first-round pick. This was my post-draft summary of DeJean:

I think DeJean could make it as an outside cornerback, but I don’t really care where he ends up. I don’t know if DeJean is twitchy enough with his change of direction to be an elite outside cornerback, but I’m not really sure I care. He’s a fantastic player and will make plays at outside cornerback, nickel cornerback, or at safety. The Eagles need good young players in the secondary, so I would have been happy with him at pick 22.

After watching him some more since the Eagles drafted him, I feel pretty good about his chances at outside cornerback. I think he can do it.

My only worry with DeJean is that his versatility is to his detriment. Sometimes, teams can use players like DeJean to plug holes in their defense when they pop up due to injuries throughout the season. Whilst I understand this for the sake of the team, I think it can harm a player’s development. Vic Fangio’s system isn’t easy to learn for a rookie, and I would rather give DeJean a specific role to focus on and learn this year, before moving him onto other responsibilities.

Personally, I would use DeJean as an outside corner in year 1, and I think he’s ahead of James Bradberry and should start as the Eagles’ outside CB3 behind Quinyon Mitchell and Darius Slay. However, if the Eagles decided that he could immediately start as a nickel corner, then I would be fine with them starting him there this year. I love Avonte Maddox, but I think DeJean could keep him out of the starting lineup as a rookie because I really believe in this player’s talent. I wouldn’t look to move DeJean to safety unless he consistently struggles as a corner.

Whatever happens, I just hope the Eagles don’t rush things with DeJean and allow him to properly develop at a certain position for the majority of the year. If that happens, the potential is sky-high with DeJean because he is a legitimately fantastic athlete with bags of upside. I would have taken him at 22, and I still don’t understand how the Eagles managed to get him at 40. Howie Roseman deserves huge credit for trading up for him when he had the chance, and I’m not sure what the other 31 general managers were thinking.

Things I Expected

“I would have taken him at 22, and I still don’t understand how the Eagles managed to get him at 40.”

“He’s a fantastic player and will make plays at outside cornerback, nickel cornerback, or at safety.”

I felt strongly pre-draft that Cooper DeJean was a top-tier prospect. I had a first-round grade on him and said so at the time. Getting him at pick 40 felt like a steal then, and it remains a steal now! He proved quickly that he belonged and was one of the most important Eagles’ defenders.

“If the Eagles decided that he could immediately start as a nickel corner, then I would be fine with them starting him there this year.”

I identified nickel corner as a potential early fit for him in the NFL and said that I expected him to beat out Avonte Maddox (who was still seen as a decent nickel cornerback at the time). DeJean’s combination of physicality, intelligence, and short-area explosiveness made that role a natural fit for the nickel. He looked comfortable covering in space, tackled with confidence, and showed advanced zone awareness. For a rookie playing in Vic Fangio’s complex defense, he looked well ahead of schedule. I have always loved having great run defenders in the slot, too.

Vic Fangio’s system isn’t easy to learn for a rookie, and I would rather give DeJean a specific role to focus on and learn this year, before moving him onto other responsibilities.

I think we saw the benefit from leaving DeJean at one position and not moving him around all over the place. He looked like a natural fit.

Things That Surprised Me

“Personally, I would use DeJean as an outside corner in year 1, and I think he’s ahead of James Bradberry… I just hope the Eagles don’t rush things with DeJean and allow him to properly develop at a certain position.”

The only real surprise was how quickly the Eagles moved him to nickel. I don’t think he ever had a realistic chance of starting outside. I had concerns that the Eagles might move him around too much early on, which could hinder his development. That didn’t happen. Instead, they gave him a clear role. I clearly thought DeJean could play outside in year 1, which ended up being wrong! I don’t think he should move outside any time soon, but I’ll get to that later.

Questions I Still Have

• Will he move to safety (in specific situations) or outside corner? Or is nickel where he’ll stay long-term? There has been some talk about him moving to safety in base defense, which will be interesting to see if he can handle. The Eagles barely ever play in base, so it won’t happen very often, but it still adds something else for him to figure out going into the season.
• Can he turn pass breakups into interceptions more consistently? We all remember the pick-six in the Super Bowl, but can he do it in the regular season? I think he’s a playmaker who could have a play like that one a couple of times a season.

The Future

DeJean was one of my favorite players in the draft, and nothing about his rookie season has changed that. I still can’t believe the Eagles landed him at 40. That remains one of the best value picks of the entire class. It was crazy at the time, and it still feels crazy in hindsight.

What stood out most this year was how well DeJean translated to the nickel spot. I identified that as a possible fit in the pre-draft process, and I think this season confirmed it. His ability to read routes, trigger quickly, and hold up physically makes him a perfect fit in that role. His tackling in space is exceptionally good.

There are not many good nickel cornerbacks in the NFL because it’s an incredibly tough spot to play. You have to be able to cover the league’s best receivers, deal with inside and outside breaking routes, and play a vital role in the team’s run fit. DeJean is already one of, if not the best, nickel defenders in the NFL. His run defense is already a cheat code in the modern NFL. Who can remember this hit?!

There’s still a question of whether his future lies outside, at safety, or if the nickel spot is where he builds a career. I see no reason at all to move DeJean. I think it would be madness to put him at safety or outside cornerback right now. He should build a career as a nickel defender who occasionally moves to the outside or safety in base defense when it is rarely used. That seems like the obvious decision to me. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here.