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Cris Collinsworth Made Bold Claim About Eagles Star Cooper DeJean

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated Feb 11, 2025 7:03 PM ET

Cris Collinsworth certainly has a high opinion of Cooper DeJean.

Selected with the No. 40 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, the rookie cornerback had a star-making moment on Sunday. On his 22nd birthday, DeJean picked off a Patrick Mahomes pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown in the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Eagles remade their secondary by drafting DeJean and first-round cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Speaking with Kay Adams on Tuesday, Collinsworth said they particularly struck gold when they landed DeJean on Day 2.

"This Quinyon Mitchell has just been a special player on the back end. Cooper DeJean may be the biggest steal we've ever seen in the second round of a draft," Collinsworth declared.

That's high praise, but probably hyperbolic considering Drew Brees, Michael Strahan, and Rob Gronkowski were all former second-round choices. Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Braden Fiske, selected the pick before DeJean, finished one spot higher in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Still, DeJean was undoubtedly an excellent pick for the Eagles.

Pro Football Football graded DeJean higher than any cornerback. While patrolling the slot, he limited opponents to 50 catches for 365 yards and no touchdowns during the regular season.

DeJean tallied 51 tackles and recovered three fumbles. He recovered another fumble in Philadelphia's second-round win over the Rams and broke up two passes in the NFC Championship Game before registering his first career interception in grand fashion.

With the game quickly getting out of hand during the second quarter, DeJean became the first rookie to ever score a pick-six in the Super Bowl. The dramatic moment gave the Eagles a 17-0 lead they never came close to relinquishing.

"It fell right into my lap," DeJean said of his interception, per NBC Sports Philadelphia. "I never thought that would happen. And it did happen. It's pretty cool. I'm just happy we won the game and for all these guys who have been here, bringing us rookies in."

Jalen Hurts was named Super Bowl MVP, but DeJean won the NFL.com fan vote. Maybe Collinsworth helped stuff the ballot for Philadelphia's new star defender.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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