Could Lightning Strike Twice For Eagles Howie Roseman In Draft?

Philadelphia Eagles general manager was able to make a deal to move up and take Cooper DeJean after he slipped out of the first round. Could it happen with another DB prospect?

Feb 14, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) celebrates during the Super Bowl LIX championship parade and rally. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images / Caean Couto-Imagn Images

Cooper DeJean probably still shouldn’t have been there, sitting comfortably with his family in his Iowa hometown on draft night last spring, waiting to be plucked and placed into the right situation.

He had a first-round grade, but the first round ended late on an April Thursday night and DeJean had not found a new team, had not known which city he would next call home. He came back the next day and it didn’t take long for it to happen.

Los Angeles had appeared to be his next destination after the Rams made a trade up to the seventh pick of the second round, and 39th overall. There was despair inside the Eagles war room. General manager Howie Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie said, that’s it. They thought DeJean was head to the Rams and they wanted him. They had a first-round grade on him and Quinyon Mitchell, who the Eagles grabbed in the first round.

Until L.A. picked defensive tackle Braden Fiske, making it back-to-back picks of players from Florida State after taking Jared Verse in the first round. It was a whiff of what Roseman has done in the past with players from Alabama in 2021 with DeVonta Smith followed by Landon Dickerson then again in 2023 with Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith arriving from Georgia with back-to-back picks in 2023.

Roseman was only too happy the Rams passed on DeJean. That left him for the Eagles, but first they had to engineer a trade to move up inside the division, which the GM pulled off, making a deal with Commanders to move up the 40th overall and eighth pick in the second round.

A similar thing happened with Brian Branch two drafts ago, when the Alabama safety slipped to the second round where the Detroit Lions pounced. Branch was a slot cornerback who brought position flexibility to the Lions’ back end and lasted until the 45 th overall selection in 2023.

“This is what I've said to teams. I'm, like, look, you blew it on Branch, you let Branch fall to the second round,” said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah. “The league collectively blew it on Cooper DeJean and let him fall to the second round. Is this going to happen again?”

Jan 10, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron (7) celebrates after a sack during the second quarter of the College Football Playoff semifinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Jeremiah referenced Branch and DeJean when he talked about Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron.

Perhaps lightning will strike twice for Roseman, and while cornerback may not seem like a particular need, it very well could be depending in whether Darius Slay returns for a final season. If Slay comes back on a restructured deal, the Eagles will have their replacement in place with Barron in the fold to perhaps play the slot and move DeJean to the outside, all the while learning from Slay.

“Is this going to happen again?” said Jeremiah. “Are we going to let Barron fall because we're not going to give credit to someone who is going to be on the field the whole game as someone who is going to be a nickel or going to play in that different role, he can play and be your dime linebacker, your nickel?”

Jeremiah had DeJean ranked as his 25th best prospect last year. He had Branch as his 31st best prospect two years ago. He has Barron rated as nis ninth-best prospect.

Barron, who is 5-11, 200 pounds, can play the slot and on the back end if needed. Like DeJean. Like Branch. Roseman owns the 32nd and final pick in the first round. If Barron is there, would he jump? You can never have too much talent in a passing league.

“I think he could (even) survive outside (at cornerback) if you needed him to,” said Jeremiah. “That's not going to be where his specialty is, but somebody that is a sure tackler, that has instincts, that takes the football away, that's an outstanding blitzer, and I look at the teams that are in the playoffs and guys that can fill that role, can play that role for teams. I see it with Derwin James as someone who can play in that spot. You look at obviously Cooper DeJean coming off of the Super Bowl.”

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