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NFL Shares Cooper DeJean Stat You Wouldn't Believe
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) returns a punt return against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter in Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

NFL Shares Cooper DeJean Stat You Wouldn't Believe

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI
By Jacob Harrison  |  Last updated Jul 28, 2025 3:15 PM ET

Former Iowa Hawkeye star Cooper DeJean truly impressed in his rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles. After being overlooked in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, DeJean turned in a fantastic rookie season that culminated with a pick-six in Super Bowl LIX.

DeJean was recently named to the NFL’s Top 100 list, checking in at No. 60. Not bad for a player who didn’t actually receive a 1st place vote in the Defensive Rookie of the Year polling.

Cooper DeJean's Rookie Season Was Even Better Than We Thought

Alongside the reveal of his debut in the Top 100, the NFL shared a stat that seems unfathomable for a rookie to achieve. DeJean allowed just 0.8 yards per coverage snap, which ranked fourth among slot corners and was the best mark from a rookie in the slot since 2021.

According to Pro Football Focus, DeJean had 416 coverage snaps in his rookie season, which ranked 67th in the NFL. Nonetheless, that’s an absurd stat to carry in a rookie season. Not only was DeJean locking down his coverage areas, but he was also preventing big plays.

Overall, DeJean permitted just an 80.1 quarterback rating while allowing just 66% of passes in his coverage area to be completed, 45 completions for 374 yards. He also didn’t allow a single touchdown in coverage in 16 games played.

READ MORE: Former Iowa Star Named NFL Trade Candidate After Breakout Season

As well as DeJean played in the slot, he won’t be staying at cornerback in 2025. As training camp got started, the Eagles revealed on the practice field that DeJean will slide back to safety moving forward.

Still, that’s a sound decision for the Eagles’ defense. After all, DeJean played even better against the run with a 90.8 run defense grade from PFF, which was second among cornerbacks. Fitting in as a roaming box safety in Vic Fangio’s defense should allow DeJean to flourish in his second season.

Read More Iowa Hawkeyes Coverage


This article first appeared on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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