There was a time during the 2023 college football season when Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean was the biggest name in the country in terms of DBs. A freakish blend of athletics and football acumen, DeJean has all the tools to be an All-Pro at either cornerback or safety and was also the best return man in college football. This made his a fascinating prospect for the 2024 NFL draft.
But a broken leg in November ended his season and took his name out of the mouths of pundits. Now the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is going strong and while DeJean is in Indianapolis, his recovery from the broken leg continues, delaying any workouts until April.
It was refreshing to see the Pittsburgh Steelers had a formal meeting with Dejean at the combine and see him as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The Steelers have a significant need at both cornerback and safety so getting a player like DeJean might be a perfect fit, assuming he’s healthy.
DeJean is one of several top cornerbacks the Steelers met with at the combine, indicating they definitely view getting a player to start opposite Joey Porter Jr. as a top priority.
