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ESPN Lists Cornerback Cooper DeJean as Ideal Fit for Buccaneers in NFL Draft
Should the Buccaneers use a first-round pick on a cornerback?
The 2024 NFL Draft is a great opportunity for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They did an incredible job during the offseason to retain key players and those that will help the team maintain their identity next season. Now they can use the draft to assess areas of need. One of those positions happens to be the cornerback position, even more so after the team traded Carlton Davis.
ESPN's Matt Bowen wrote about 20 ideal fits for 20 different prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. One of the players selected, Cooper DeJean, was listed as an ideal fit for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at pick No. 26.
"The Bucs traded away Carlton Davis last month, creating a hole at cornerback. DeJean's versatility means he could fit opposite Jamel Dean, but he also has the physical mentality to play as a slot defender in Todd Bowles' defense. DeJean has excellent backfield vision and the ball skills to patrol the outside thirds in zone coverage, plus the man-to-man skills to match in coverage," Bowen wrote.
Addressing the cornerback position in the first round would allow the Buccaneers to use the rest of the draft to add depth to positions of need, such as wide receiver and running back. Using later round picks to bring in depth pieces makes sense as the team might be able to find a star in the system in the first round.
"A natural playmaker who had seven career interceptions and three defensive scores, DeJean also would bring All-Pro upside to the Bucs as a punt returner. DeJean had six punt returns of 20 or more yards and one touchdown in college," Bowen continued.
The 6-foot-1 cornerback spent three seasons at Iowa -- totaling seven interceptions. As Bowen alluded to, he would also be providing special teams work to the team. Bringing in a versatile talent in the first-round is a safer pick, assuming he'll contribute in multiple facets of the game.
ESPN's Field Yates recently followed up on Jordan Reid's report on DeJean's personal pro day coming up, mentioning his "top-20 tape."
"DeJean had top-20 tape this past season prior to his leg injury, and I wouldn't rule out a top-20 selection for him by any stretch. His explosiveness, man-to-man coverage skills and versatility — he might also be the best safety in this class and is an excellent punt returner — are all appealing to NFL teams, and if he performs like many expect he would have absent the injury, we'll be talking a whole bunch about him over the final two weeks of the pre-draft process," Yates wrote.
If the Buccaneers are able to secure a top-20 player at pick No. 26 — there's no reason not to do so. Especially given he addresses a big need and hole in the Buccaneers defense. If the injury is the reason he slides down in the draft — so be it. The Buccaneers should absolutely take advantage of it and get a star in the first round.
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