Much of the buzz around the Hawkeyes’ defense is around the proven experienced players. Iowa returns some of the best defensive players in the Big Ten, both cornerback Riley Moss and linebacker Jack Campbell are expected to compete for multiple awards in both the conference as well as nationally. Iowa returns some strong starters on their defensive line in Logan Lee and Noah Shannon, and both linebackers Seth Benson and Jestin Jacobs do not get enough credit for what they do for Phil Parker’s defense.
Iowa is not just a bunch of experienced seniors looking for one last bit of glory before riding off in the sunset though. There are some really good promising young talents on this roster. While defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness deservedly commands a lion’s share of the attention, he could be the next drafted star Iowa defensive lineman, sophomore Cooper DeJean has made some headway this offseason.
While DeJean did not play a ton in his freshman year, appearing in four games, the former four-star recruit’s talent has made a massive push for starting time over the spring. His athletic versatility is what made him a priority recruit for Iowa back in 2021, and can play any spot Parker asks of him amongst one of the best secondaries in the nation.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Odebolt, IOWA.
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 209
Class in 2022: Sophomore
247Sports composite ranking
2021 four star / No. 26 safety / No. 6 player in Iowa
Career Stats
| Tackles | Def Int | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF |
| *2021 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | DB | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | DB | |||||||||||||||
| Career | Iowa | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
Depth Chart Overview
All of the signs in the spring point to DeJean starting in Iowa’s vaunted CASH position. Used as a safety/linebacker hybrid, DeJean fits the position like a glove, his athletic versatility allowing him to be a glue for Iowa’s defense. Don’t expect DeJean to just get game time exclusively at that position though. He can be used as a chess piece all over the field and should be one of the first men up to fill in for an injury anywhere in the secondary.
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