A review and breakdown of first-round predictions for the Green Bay Packers in final 2024 mock drafts from a few of the most prominent analysts in the business:
The mock draft: Eric Edholm, NFL.com
The pick: DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
The reasoning: “The Packers got an up-close look at what kind of impact Brian Branch had for the Lions in the NFC North, and I think DeJean can play a similar role for the 2024 Green Bay defense. He’s capable of playing safety, nickel or outside corner, all three of which are positions of need for the Packers; DeJean also has special-teams value. I considered both lines of scrimmage here, but DeJean makes sense.”
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Our breakdown: This certainly isn’t the first time DeJean has been mocked to the Packers and it likely won’t be the last of the final mock drafts to have the Iowa star land in Green Bay at No. 25. DeJean is just a terrific fit in terms of talent and positional need, and he’s also 21 years old, an elite athlete and coming from a program the Packers deeply respect. Brian Gutekunst thinks DeJean can play corner or safety, and the Packers have a long-term need at corner and an immediate need at safety. New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley wants to take the ball away more, and DeJean had seven picks — returning three for scores — over the last 20 games. He checks all the boxes.
The player info
Height: 6-0
Weight: 202
Age: 21
40-yard dash: 4.44
Vertical leap: 38.5″
Broad jump: 10-4
Three-cone: DNP
Short shuttle: DNP
Bench press: DNP
RAS: 9.85
Pre-draft visit: No
Senior Bowl: No
Consensus big board rank: 20
Draft profile from Lance Zierlein: “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. He would seem to be a no-brainer as a punt returner and gunner in Year 1. DeJean should be a big athletic tester, which will help get the hype train going, but finding the proper schematic fit will be important in unlocking his best football as a zone corner or interchangeable safety.”