Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean will hold his Pro Day on Monday, April 8th, which could be of interest to the defensive back-needy Colts.
Late last season, DeJean suffered a fractured fibula that ended his season. While he attended the NFL Combine and did interviews with teams, he did not participate in any of the on-field testing as he was still rehabbing his leg injury.
DeJean’s Pro-Day will be the first time teams will see him on the field in this capacity since his injury. He is listed at 6-1 – 207 pounds and is expected to test very well.
As the draft process unfolds, DeJean is becoming a more popular pick for the Colts at 15th overall, checking a lot of the boxes in regard to what the Colts need in the secondary and what they look for in a prospect.
DeJean has spent most of his time lined up on the boundary at Iowa but will provide the Colts with versatility and options in the defensive backfield as he’s able to play both the safety – another need the Colts have – and nickel positions as well.
Over the last two seasons, DeJean has held opponents to a completion rate of 47 percent and 10.5 yards per catch while coming away with seven interceptions and nine pass breakups.
He’s also proven to be a very reliable tackler and willing run defender, which would be valuable in any potential move to safety and has played 439 special teams snaps. This includes 31 punt return attempts at 13.1 yards per return.
In a recent mock draft from PFF, Max Chadwick mentioned that DeJean to the Colts was one of his favorite fits in this draft because of the zone-heavy defensive scheme that Gus Bradley utilizes, which meshes with DeJean’s skill set very well.
For more on what DeJean could bring to the Colts, here is a snippet of what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had to say in his pre-draft report:
“Highly competitive defensive back with plus ball skills and noteworthy special teams value. DeJean is big and bundled for a cornerback, with muscular arms and tight hips. He has fantastic interception production, but his movements are more linear than fluid, and he doesn’t have the easy change of direction needed in man coverage on the next level. His best football is played with his eyes forward, using his instincts to challenge quarterbacks and his big downhill burst to smack whatever needs smacking.”
Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell and Alabama’s Terrion Arnold are widely considered the top two cornerbacks in this class. However, if both are off the board by pick 15, DeJean could very much be in play for GM Chris Ballard.
Update: According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic, DeJean impressed at his Pro-Day, recording a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, a 38.5-inch vertical, and a 10.4-inch broad jump.