Eagles’ rising star Cooper DeJean earns league-wide respect with latest NFL honor

“I’m in the top 100?” DeJean said when he was told about the honor. “I don’t even know what to say.”

This shouldn’t be much of a surprise for anyone considering DeJean sparked conversation during his rookie year while racking up 51 tackles, including three tackles for loss, half a sack, six passes defended, three fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. Those numbers were good enough to land him as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Here’s what NFL.com had to say about DeJean landing on their list:

After a 2023 season of struggles in the secondary, the Eagles used their top two picks on defensive backs, including DeJean in the second round, who made an immediate impact. With his help, Philly went from the 31st-ranked defense in passing yards allowed to No. 1, a turnaround that spearheaded its return to the playoffs. To cap off his impressive opening season, DeJean was responsible for one of the most viral and pivotal moments in Super Bowl LIX, intercepting Patrick Mahomes and returning it for a touchdown to put Philadelphia up 17-0 over the Kansas City Chiefs and kick off the blowout. Celebrating his birthday that day, DeJean's first NFL interception came on the biggest stage there is.

Now heading into year two, DeJean is expected to take on an even larger role, splitting reps between nickel, outside cornerback, and safety. While he worked at those positions during last August’s training camp, it now looks like he'll put that versatility into action this fall.

DeJean joins left tackle Jordan Mailata (No. 69) as the only other Eagles player to make the top 100 list so far.