Latest news with #CooperDeJean
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles Slot Cornerback Named NFL Best
Eagles Slot Cornerback Named NFL Best originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Through the first four weeks of the 2024 season, the Philadelphia Eagles fielded one of the worst pass defenses in the game. All that changed after the bye week. Advertisement While some analysts will point to a more buttoned-up unit under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, one player's arrival certainly changed the foundation of Philadelphia's defense. Cooper DeJean, the defensive back out of Iowa, missed most of training camp and the first month of the season due to a hamstring injury. The moment he arrived on the field in Philadelphia's 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 6 (the first game after their bye week), he quickly became an integral part of Philly's defense. A few months later, not only is DeJean a Super Bowl champion/hero, but the league has begun to recognize him as the best in the league at his position. Bill Barnwell of ESPN wrote a piece this week detailing DeJean's prowess in the slot and how no cornerback can match the kind of impact he had on Philadelphia. Advertisement "Yes, he's already there," Barnwell said. "DeJean spent the first month of his rookie season on the sideline, but after Philadelphia's Week 5 bye, his move into the starting lineup coincided with a massive defensive improvement. "After ranking 26th in expected points added (EPA) per play on defense before the bye, the Eagles were comfortably the league's best defense by the same metric afterward." Barnwell did add that DeJean will see more time this year on the outside in addition to his usual work in the slot. The departure of Darius Slay will force the Eagles to get creative in the back end of their defense. DeJean appears more than up to the task. Advertisement If he's anything like he was in the slot last season, Philadelphia's nickel corner may be one of the league's best and most versatile players. Related: Eagles Legends Shine on ESPN's All-Quarter Century NFL Team Related: Nick Sirianni's Stunning Turnaround Lands Him Among NFL's Top Coaches This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cooper DeJean Shares 3-Word Impression of New Iowa Hoops Coach Ben McCollum
Cooper DeJean Shares 3-Word Impression of New Iowa Hoops Coach Ben McCollum originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX on the strength of an all-around team effort, led by the potent rushing attack of Saquon Barkley, timely passes from Jalen Hurts and a much improved defense. Advertisement Rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean proved be one of the smartest picks in the 2024 NFL draft as the Iowa Hawkeyes rookie became a sure tackler and strong cover man for coach Nick Sirianni's team. On Wednesday, highlights of DeJean's return to Iowa City turned heads on social media as the Eagles defensive back showed off dunk contest worthy jams on the court in a battle against new Hawkeyes coach Ben McCollum. He also shared a three-world impression of McCollum after the session was finished. Cooper DeJean on the practice field with the Eagles. © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images "The crossover you didn't know you needed," the Iowa men's basketball account wrote on X Thursday. DeJean is seen throwing down windmill dunks during warm-ups and a hammer dunk during a game in the highlight video, which reached nearly 300,000 views on X. Advertisement McCollum also showed off his athleticism and skills as he battled with DeJean and others. "BMC a dude," one fan said about McCollum. "Literally ever clip of coach BM makes me like him more and more," another fan added on McCollum. "Once a Hawkeye, always a Hawkeye," another said about DeJean. "Our coach can ball!" a Hawkeyes fan said. "So competitive...I love it," another fan added. "This might be the greatest video that has ever been recorded in world history," another fan added while others continued to praise DeJean and McCollum for their athleticism and hoops skills. Related: Iowa Hawkeyes New QB Drawing Massive Attention Before 2025 Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Cooper DeJean Opens up on Viral Dunk With Saquon Barkley
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Not long after the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Cooper DeJean in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft, he became a favorite among the fan base. Before he begins his second year in the pros, the young defensive back opened up on one of his viral moments from the offseason. Aside from his talents on the football field, DeJean is an all-around gifted athlete. Like many other pros, he thrived across numerous sports. When he wasn't taking care of business on the gridiron, DeJean also turned heads with his basketball skills. Throughout his rookie campaign, fans constantly dug up old basketball clips from when DeJean was in high school. Before mandatory minicamp got underway, he showed he's still capable of delivering eye-popping moments. Three weeks ago, the Eagles paid a visit to the University of Pennsylvania. While there, the group found themselves on the campus' basketball court. Saquon Barkley and DeJean took this moment as an opportunity to have some fun. The star running proceeded to throw a dazzling alley-oop that DeJean dunked home with ease. During a recent episode of his "Exciting Mics" podcast, DeJean touched on this viral moment with teammate Reed Blankenship. He was slightly upset that this was the only clip caught on camera, as he felt he had better dunks that day. Cooper DeJean #33 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after a play in the fourth quarter of a game against the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field on December 08, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cooper DeJean #33 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after a play in the fourth quarter of a game against the Carolina Panthers at Lincoln Financial Field on December 08, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."Saquon throwing me a lob, throwing it down," DeJean said. "I feel like I had a lot better dunks then this one throughout the day but they weren't on camera. Then we needed to leave." Coop can HOOP 😂🔥 — Exciting Mics (@excitingmics) June 9, 2025 DeJean's athleticism helped him provide an immediate impact for the Eagles both defensively and as a kick returner at times. He shined in his first year in the pros, finishing fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. DeJean also managed to deliver a memorable moment in the postseason, returning an interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Heading into his sophomore campaign with the Eagles, DeJean's athleticism could be further utilized in an expanded role. As minicamp continues, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said he might use the standout defensive back at safety in some scenarios. "We'd like to keep him at nickel, and then in our base package we'll find a spot for him, either at corner or safety," Fangio said. "A lot of it will end up depending on how the other guys develop and where we most need him." DeJean has some experience playing safety from his time in college, which could make such a transition easy for him. Given his past experience, the Eagles might utilize his talents to fill the void left by C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vic Fangio hints at Cooper DeJean playing safety and outside CB to ensure the most snaps
Cooper DeJean was a primary reason the Eagles only lost one game after the Week 5 bye, and the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year finalist is already one of the most versatile defenders in the NFL. After Philadelphia saw Darius Slay (Steelers), Isaiah Rodgers (Vikings), Avonte Maddox (Lions), and James Bradberry (UFA) all exit, there was talk of DeJean moving to the outside cornerback spot opposite Quinyon Mitchell. Back in April, before the NFL draft, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told John Clark of NBC Sports that DeJean would remain in the slot. 'I really like him as the nickel. I'd like to see him stay at nickel. He plays it very well. He's got good size in there. I think he enjoys playing in that position.' Advertisement The news means Kelee Ringo, Adoree' Jackson, and Eli Ricks will be among the early contenders to win a competition. On Tuesday, during the start of Week 2 of the Eagles' OTAs, DeJean lined up at multiple positions after Fangio confirmed he'd play outside cornerback and safety to ensure he was on the field for the most snaps. We can confirm that DeJean took snaps at all three cornerback spots, as well as snaps at safety on Tuesday. DeJean logged 51 tackles (38 solo) as a rookie, including 0.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries across 16 regular-season games in 2024. DeJean's biggest and best moment came in Super Bowl LIX against the Chiefs, when he picked off Patrick Mahomes for a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown on his birthday. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Cooper DeJean to play several positions in 2025 to ensure key snaps
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sights and sounds from Day 5 of Philadelphia Eagles OTAs
After celebrating Saquon Barkley's 'Madden NFL 26' cover, the Eagles returned to the NovaCare Complex practice field for session five of OTAs. The media in attendance is on high alert, as Vic Fangio hinted at Cooper DeJean being a jack of all trades, and Jihaad Campbell not taking the practice field until August at the earliest. Philadelphia will have one more voluntary session on Thursday afternoon, before a Mandatory mini-camp on Tuesday, June 10. Advertisement With practice underway, we're looking at sights and sounds from Tuesday's session. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Highlights and notes from Day 5 of Philadelphia Eagles OTAs
