Eagles Select Highly-Touted Cornerback In Latest Insider Mock Draft

Philadelphia could use a youth movement in the secondary

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa defensive back Cooper Dejean (DB06) talks to the media / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is just days away from brining in a new class of young talent in hopes of developing the next core of franchise players.

The best chance of acquiring a future staple of the organization will come with the No. 22 overall selection in the draft, where Roseman and company will have some options.

There has been a lot of smoke regarding Philadelphia drafting an offensive tackle to bolster depth and eventually supplant Lane Johnson -- but Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr is predicting more of a Day 1 impact player coming to town: Iowa Hawkeyes cornerback Cooper DeJean.

"I love the idea of pairing DeJean with someone such as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, although hybrid players are always tough," Orr wrote Tuesday. "Do they fit anywhere or nowhere? DeJean would be a salve at his best for the aging Eagles defensive backfield, which still aspires to be aggressive in zone schemes and make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks. So the Eagles load up on secondary help here, planning to absolutely flummox an NFC East that may be planning to start two rookie quarterbacks (Washington and the Giants) this year."

DeJean is one of the more polarizing players in the class. Some have the impressive defensive back as a top-rated cornerback while others envision a transition to safety at the next level. His versatility, however, could be one of his biggest strengths for the Eagles secondary next season and beyond.

A zone-heavy scheme would be the most logical landing spot for DeJean, who is one of only a handful of defensive players in the class with first-round grades.

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