Shocking Stat for Eagles Rookie CB Ahead of Playoff Opener

The Philadelphia Eagles had the NFL’s most dominant defense in 2024, and the fact of the matter is that unit didn’t tap into its full potential until defensive coordinator Vic Fangio decided to insert rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean into the starting lineup against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6.

It was also the game that kicked off a 10-game wining streak for the Eagles.

Now, headed into the playoff opener against the Green Packers on January 12, it’s clear that DeJean’s impact on the defense ended up producing one incredible stat for the second round pick out of the University of Iowa.

From MLFootball.com’s official X account: “SUPERSTAR: #Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean was targeted 73 times, and he did NOT allow a single touchdown … Cooper DeJean is ELITE.”

The tape on the 6-foot-1, 200-pound DeJean doesn’t lie — and the 73 targets without a touchdown were the second most in the NFL in 2024.

According to PFF, DeJean’s 82.7 overall grade for the 2024 regular season ranked him fourth out of 223 NFL cornerbacks. He finished the season with 51 tackles, 3 TFL, 6 pass deflections, 3 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble.

In total, opposing quarterbacks went 48-of-73 passing against DeJean for a 66.2 completion percentage and registered just an 80.1 QB rating.

DeJean Dropped After First Round Projections

Despite some projections that saw DeJean as a first round pick after being named a unanimous All-American and sweeping the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year awards in 2023, he dropped to the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round (No. 40 overall) — the Eagles spent their first 2 picks in the 2024 NFL draft on cornerbacks after taking Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell in the first round.

The 33rd Team’s Jeff Diamond put DeJean on his list of the “Biggest Steals” from the 2024 NFL draft as the Eagles rolled to a 14-3 regular season record and earned the No. 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs.

“DeJean is the Eagles’ starting nickel corner and has contributed 30 tackles and five passes defensed to the team’s top-ranked defense,” Diamond wrote on November 27. “He was picked in the second round (No. 40 overall) as the fourth cornerback off the board. DeJean is one of the big contributors (along with first-round corner Quinyon Mitchell) to the massive improvement in Philadelphia’s pass defense that is ranked third after falling to 31st last season when they were a major cause of the team’s late-season collapse.”

Pro Bowl Called Out for Snub of Eagles Rookie CB

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra put DeJean on his list of the worst Pro Bowl snubs after he was left off the NFC’s roster for the Pro Bowl Games.

“The rookie has been sensational since entering the lineup in Week 6, proving to be the top slot corner in the NFL,” Patra wrote on January 2. “His EPA when targeted (-28.3) is the best mark among all nickel backs and No. 2 among all defensive backs. His -0.46 EPA per target ranks second among all corners (minimum of 300 coverage snaps), behind only Pat Surtain II. DeJean is allowing a league-low 4.8 yards per target when aligned in the slot (minimum of 20 targets) and hasn’t given up a TD as a slot defender, with five passes defended.”