Eagles Land Dream First-Round Pick in Peter Schrager's Mock Draft
By Jovan Alford
The Philadelphia Eagles hope to find an impact player with the No. 22 overall pick as they continue to retool their roster after a disastrous end to the 2023 season.
Over the last two NFL Drafts, the Eagles have addressed the defensive side of the ball, taking Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, and Nolan Smith Jr.
There’s a chance that the Eagles could take another talented defensive playmaker as their two starting cornerbacks (Darius Slay and James Bradberry) are getting up there in age, or Philly could take an offensive lineman, which would not be shocking to many fans.
Nevertheless, whatever the Eagles decide to do with their first-round pick, will set the tone for the rest of their draft. Speaking of drafts, Peter Schrager unveiled his first mock draft almost a week out from the 2024 NFL Draft.
2024 NFL Mock Draft: Eagles Bolster Secondary in First Round
Schrager made a unique selection for the Eagles, which should excite fans as this player has seen his draft stock rise due to a great workout earlier this month. Who is that player you might ask? It’s none other than former Iowa Hawkeyes star cornerback Cooper DeJean.
Here’s what Schrager had to say about his choice of DeJean to the Eagles:
"“DeJean had an outstanding college career and showed out at his private workout. He can play corner or safety and is a special teams Swiss Army Knife. Is 22 too rich? Maybe. But I can see him in an Eagles uniform.”"
DeJean has been one of the most talked about draft prospects by Eagles fans as they believe his athleticism and ball skills would be perfect for this secondary. Philly added one ballhawk to its secondary this offseason, by bringing back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who is versatile to play corner or safety.
Could you imagine adding DeJean to the fold with Gardner-Johnson, Reed Blankenship, Slay, and whomever else on the field? If you are Howie Roseman, DeJean would be a big boost to an Eagles’ secondary that gave up 252.7 passing yards per game (second-most in the NFL) last season.
This past season with the Hawkeyes, DeJean posted 41 total tackles, five pass deflections, two tackles for loss, and two interceptions.
The 6-foot cornerback can also be used as a punt returner as he averaged a career 13.1 punt return yards per return and scored one touchdown at Iowa. Now, there’s a chance that DeJean could go higher than No. 22 overall after his amazing pro-day workout, but the Eagles would be ecstatic to see him fall to them.
More Eagles news and analysis: