Packers dream draft selection might suddenly be out of their reach
Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean put on a clinic at his pro day workout, potentially performing himself out of the reach of the Green Bay Packers, who have been considered a primary suitor for his services.
By Lior Lampert
Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Cooper DeJean showed out during his private individual pro day workout on Monday, putting his skill set and physical intangibles on full display for NFL scouts, coaches, and front-office executives.
DeJean's metrics earned him an unofficial Relative Athlete Score of 9.89 out of 10 and put him just outside of the top percentile of cornerbacks in athleticism testing since 1987, according to The 33rd Team, which should only further improve his stock heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. And he is already known as a first-round prospect, which speaks to how well his workout went.
Cooper DeJean’s pro day results put him just outside the top 1% of CBs since 1987 in athleticism testing😲
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) April 8, 2024
📸: @MathBomb https://t.co/5njRb2Wgs5 pic.twitter.com/MUmNk1kv9c
However, the pro day performance could vault DeJean into the top half of the first round on draft night, potentially putting him out of the reach of a team that may reportedly have their sights set on him – the Green Bay Packers.
Cooper DeJean may have worked himself out of Packers draft plans during pro day
DeJean has been labeled a primary target for the Packers because of his physical tools and general manager Brian Gutekunst's affinity for drafting young and high-end athletes in the first round, per Zach Kruse of the Packers Wire, as evidenced by the team selecting Jaire Alexander, Darnell Savage, Rashan Gary, Jordan Love Eric Stokes, Devonte Wyatt, Quay Walker, and Lukas Van Ness in recent years.
Moreover, Green Bay has pressing needs in the secondary following the offseason departure of Savage and the declining play of Stokes since his rookie year in 2021, making DeJean an even more appealing option for the Packers.
Alas, DeJean donning green and yellow may be a pipe dream after he ran a 4.43 40-yard dash, recorded a 38.5" vertical, and logged 16 bench reps, barring Green Bay moving up the draft board to get him.
DeJean earned All-American honors in 2023 after putting up 41 combined tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions in 10 games as a senior at Iowa. He is the No. 25-ranked player on Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network's top 50 2024 draft prospect rankings, and the Packers hold the 25th overall pick in the draft. But after Monday, it would not be shocking to see the talented young defensive back off the board before then.
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