2024 NFL Draft, Full 3-round mock draft post-Combine: Vikings, Chiefs trade up
- Vikings trade up for a quarterback
- Chiefs get aggressive to draft a Combine standout
- Steelers fill holes in all three rounds
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
We didn’t get to see Cooper DeJean at the NFL Combine as he recovers from an offseason surgery, and that’s really just a big loss for the fans. The Iowa cornerback has been a stalwart for the Hawkeyes defense over the past few years and, by all accounts, could’ve completely torn apart the athletic testing with the physical tools he possesses.
Even without seeing him in Indy, though, he’s a no-brainer for the Jaguars. The secondary for Jacksonville is far from hopeless as Tyson Campbell has been solid when healthy while Dareous Williams had a decent 2023. But the secondary is clearly lacking a true game-changing presence on the outside, which DeJean has the potential to be.
What’s more, DeJean also comes with special teams ability as one of the best kick returners in the draft class, though the Jaguars may have to weigh just how much they would use him in that department to maximize his value on defense and keep him healthy.
Still, for a team that was torched routinely defensively amid their struggles throughout the 2023 campaign, landing a player like DeJean is exactly what the Jags need to start trying to right the ship.