Prospect Profile: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

Context

Lines up mostly as the left CB in Iowa’s excellent defense, playing both the boundary and the field, mostly in Zone. He has been used in the slot and as a Safety but it’s rare.

Coverage

At the line of scrimmage from press he can match angles with his footwork against all types of receiver. He understands the receiver’s plan and knows what he is trying to do with his release and combats it with his own plan and patience at the line. He trusts his athleticism after the release and therefore doesn’t commit or allow the receiver to take any advantage of mistakes. When pressing with a jam, you’d like to see him get his hands on the receiver more consistently. He doesn’t quite have the reach or the accuracy with his hands to re-route the receiver with his physical toughness and strength – it doesn’t generally matter as his footwork is so good and he’s too strong to be bullied but this may get taken advantage of more at the next level. In off coverage he has even more time to read what the receiver is doing and react. In bail coverage he is outstanding at reading the QB and can jump routes. In bail and off coverage against comebacks or hitch routes he can stay in the half-turn position too long and has a false step when he breaks on the ball, which does give up some separation. Except in the circumstances just outlined, at the break-point he rarely gives up much separation against many different types of receiver. He’s able to win with technique, athleticism and processing. He is fluid but explosive on in-breaking routes. He’s able to stay with athletic receivers running square cut breaks but he’s also able to defend these routes with his play strength as receivers are unable to clear their hands and get through him efficiently into the rest of the route.

He is an excellent processor in man coverage and can read receivers against even those with the best salesmanship. He will not bite on double moves. He has excellent hip fluidity; his turns/transitions are exceptional. In Zone coverage he reads route combinations and the QB at a high level, and he’s especially good when covering vertical routes in Cover 3 or 4, against complex route combinations designed to put him in conflict. He anticipates at a high level. Even though he is most often in phase because of all the strengths already mentioned, he also has very good ball skills – he has great timing, accuracy and placement with his hands to deflect the pass and he will turn and locate the ball with ease. When given even half an opportunity to make an interception, he will do so, demonstrating great hands and excellent body position to make high degree of difficulty catches on the sideline. If he has a chance to the run the route for the receiver vertically downfield, show his ball tracking and over the shoulder catching, he will do.

Run Support

He uses his physical toughness to set a hard edge as a force player against outside receivers. H doesn’t as consistently bench press bigger blockers like Fullbacks and Tight Ends but he shows aggression and willingness to try and set an edge. He’s an outstanding open field tackler and puts his body on the line against even bigger ball carriers but he can sometimes go too high and be shaken off.

SUMMARY
Outstanding cover CB with all the tools needed to play the position at a high level. He has athleticism, technique, smarts, toughness and will be a weapon for the creative play-caller.

PRODUCTION 
JR: 29 To. Tackles, 2 INTs, 4 PBUs
SO: 62 To. Tackles, 5 INT, 5 PBUs
Injury: Season ending foot injury Nov ’23 (JR)

RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 5
Intelligence 5
Versatility 5
Grit 5
Scheme 5