Eagles young cornerbacks shouldn't be overlooked (but they are)

The 2024 Philadelphia Eagles' defense was the best in the NFL in total defense and passing defense. It has a lot to do with what Eagles general manager Howie Roseman did before the season.

Roseman went to the NFL Draft and selected the two best cornerbacks in the class: Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Mitchell and DeJean dominated as they were the best rookie corners in the NFL as Mitchell showed elite shutdown corner traits while DeJean was preventing receptions in the slot.

They both became heroes in the postseason as Mitchell nabbed two interceptions and DeJean got the critical pick-six in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs to turn the momentum completely over to Philadelphia.

One year's work may not be enough for everyone to see the potential greatness in those players right now, but Eagles fans know all too well how good they are. Bleacher Report understands it too, but might be sleeping on them a little too much.

Mitchell-DeJean cornerback combo ranked low in the top 10 among others in the NFL

Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton ranked the best cornerback duos in the NFL, with Mitchell and DeJean at number 10. Despite the low ranking, Moton sees the potential the two have.

"Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean make the top 10 as two of the most impressive rookies from the 2024 class. They finished within the top four in Defensive Rookie of the Year votes.

Mitchell was runner-up for top defensive rookie. He quickly solidified himself as a starter on the boundary and tied C.J. Gardner-Johnson for the second-most pass breakups (12) on the Philadelphia Eagles. He didn't record any interceptions during the regular season, but he snagged two in the playoffs, which is a promising sign for the future.

After recovering from a leg injury, DeJean opened the 2024 campaign in a limited role, mainly as a contributor on special teams. By Week 6, he saw an uptick in snap count and production in the slot. The versatile defensive back finished with 51 tackles, three for loss, six pass breakups and allowed an 80.1 passer rating in coverage.

DeJean's versatility works against him slightly in these cornerback duo rankings, though. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio hinted that the second-year defensive back could see more snaps at safety in the upcoming campaign.

For now, Mitchell and DeJean are a promising cornerback tandem, but the latter could play a slightly different role in 2025."

Mitchell has been the man all along in Philadelphia as he started 16 games opposite of Darius Slay at cornerback. He racked up 46 tackles and 12 pass deflections as he finished as the runner up for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The interceptions might not have been there, but he still allowed just 54.7% of opposing quarterback's completion percentages and a passer rating of 87.2.

DeJean played more in the slot at cornerback as he started nine of the 16 games he appeared in. He finished with 51 tackles, six pass deflections, three tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, one quarterback hit, and a half sack. After finishing fourth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, DeJean also added to the stats his completion percentage allowed of 66.2% and a passer rating of 80.1.

All offseason, Mitchell and DeJean have been receiving praise for their rookie seasons, as Pro Football Focus ranked the two in the top 16 best cornerbacks in the NFL. For being rookies, it's impressive to see how the two performed last year and the bigger roles they will play in Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's defense in 2025.

Some might believe they are still ranked too low, but this season will prove how good they truly are.