Cooper DeJean
Cooper DeJean was one of the most exciting and impactful football players in the country during his time at Iowa. From high-flying interceptions to monumental kick returns, DeJean did everything to leave a mark on a game.
In his two years starting for the Hawkeyes, DeJean was a threat to score any time he had the ball in his hands. At defensive back, DeJean racked up seven interceptions in 23 games with three of them returned for touchdowns.
Outside of defense, DeJean was one of the most electrifying punt returners in all of college football. He accumulated 406 yards on 31 returns in his Hawkeye career with one of those returns — debatably should have been two — being taken back for a touchdown.
I believe that DeJean will not only be the best rookie to come out of Iowa in 2024, but one of the most impactful first-year players in the NFL.
DeJean slipped to the second round to the Philadelphia Eagles after most mock draft projections had him going top 20 overall. After a broken fibula cut his last season with the Hawkeyes short, DeJean has developed a hamstring injury sidelining him for the first three weeks of training camp.
With his absence, DeJean found himself the second-string nickelback behind fellow Toledo rookie Quinyon Mitchell.
DeJean can be impactful because of his versatility in the defensive secondary. While the depth chart for Philadelphia puts him at the nickelback position, DeJean is capable of playing outside cornerback or even safety, depending on the defensive formation.
On top of being a Swiss Army knife on defense, DeJean is capable of both punt and kick returns. This gives DeJean a plethora of opportunities to show off his incredible playmaking abilities — something Hawkeye fans have gotten familiar with over the past two seasons.
With many people projecting DeJean not seeing the field until weeks two or three, it will take some time for the rookie to get his feet under him. But after some consistent practice and game repetitions, I believe that DeJean will become an irreplaceable member of the Eagles’ defense and special teams.
Tory Taylor
It’s always impressive for a rookie to get snaps in his first year, and Eagles rookie Cooper DeJean will surely need a few to get into an NFL groove. But the thing about Chicago Bears rookie punter Tory Taylor is that he won’t — his game will naturally translate to an immediate impact on the Monsters of the Midway as a starter.
That’s why Taylor will be the best ex-Hawkeye turned-rookie who makes the biggest impact on his current team.
It took me 21 years of existence on this planet to recognize how big of an impact the punter has on the football club. It always seems like this small job for a little-known player who just steps onto the field and steps off in the blink of an eye. But it became clear after seeing Taylor punt at Iowa how massive of an impact he could have on a team.
In fact, it can be argued he was the team’s most valuable player in the past few winning seasons.
Taylor’s ability to place a football within the 10 — or even five — yard line allows the defense to step in, constrict the opposing offense, and put his offense at good field position. That contributed strongly to Iowa’s success, especially last year. That’s why he was drafted — a punter in the fourth round. Coaches see the impact he can have on a team.
As the Bears boast one of the best young defenses in this league, not to mention a scary offense that I’m very confident can produce a lot more than the Hawkeyes did, Taylor is the missing piece to make them click into an effective football team.
Again, I know Taylor won’t be as exciting to most as DeJean’s swift tackles, crafty pass breakups, and exciting interceptions. But the fact of the matter is that his punting abilities will be the most effective as he contributes in a starting role that no other Hawkeye rookie will see.
That could be a different story if DeJean were the starter on an Eagles team with solid odds to make a Super Bowl. But he won’t get enough reps to overshadow Tory’s power to move Chicago ahead.