Cooper DeJean was featured as a first-round pick in many of the mock drafts that flood the landscape ahead of the draft, but he did not wind up hearing his name called in Detroit on Thursday night.
DeJean’s wait to be selected ended when the Eagles traded up to the 40th overall pick on Friday night in order to double down on additions to their defensive backfield. Cornerback Quinyon Mitchell joined the team in the first round as the Eagles tried to solidify a spot that caused them problems last season.
After the pick was in, DeJean, who broke his leg during his final season at Iowa, was asked about his level of disappointment in not being a first-round pick.
“I mean, all I wanted was an opportunity to play,” DeJean said. “Obviously there’s a little frustration yesterday, but I’m excited with where I’m at, being in Philadelphia, being able to play for a great organization. You know, I’m excited to get started there, get out there and get rolling, get back to playing football. You know, I was getting tired of this pre-draft process, so I’m excited to just get back to playing football.”
There’s some question about whether DeJean will play corner, safety or a hybrid role. That’s something the Eagles will start to figure out after an aggressive move to make sure he’ll be in their uniform.