Cooper DeJean At NFL Combine With Chance To Continue Breaking CB Color Line

INDIANAPOLIS – If NFL teams want to know whether Iowa's Cooper DeJean can play cornerback, perhaps they should look at his over-the-shoulder catch and 45-yard return of an interception for a touchdown against Rutgers in 2022. Or maybe study his work against Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. in a handful of man-to-man matchups that same season.

DeJean, the Iowa defensive back, is at this scouting combine hoping to convince the 20 NFL teams that so far have met with him here that he is worthy of being selected in the April draft.

DeJean is trying to convince teams he's capable of helping them as an outside cornerback or slot cornerback. 

Cooper DeJean Would Be NFL Oddity

But there are some obstacles:

DeJean's still getting back to form after he fractured a fibula in November.

He's not working out at this combine and instead working out for teams just prior to the draft so he can put on the best show possible.

And, well, DeJean is white.

The last of those is not an obstacle except for the fact it is an NFL oddity in 2024. Because white NFL cornerbacks are like pink coloring book unicorns.

You don't see many in real life.

Jason Sehorn last played cornerback for the New York Giants in 2002. And Kevin Kaesviharn started five games at corner for the Cincinnati Bengals that same season.

That's the last time a white guy was a starting cornerback in the NFL.

Riley Moss, also from Iowa, was drafted in the third round by the Denver Broncos last season. He was at the combine in 2023, also trying to break through as a white starting NFL cornerback.

But he was injured early last season and was relegated mostly to special teams duty. Moss played only 23 snaps on defense all season.

 So, yes, the idea of Cooper DeJean breaking the recently drawn color line as a starting cornerback is intriguing.

Teams Wonder About DeJean At Safety

But NFL teams, who have been known to ask impertinent and personal questions of prospects at the combine, apparently haven't asked DeJean about how he's different.

"Yeah, nah, I haven't really talked to teams about that whole aspect of things," DeJean said Thursday. "But it doesn't really bother me too much. I'm just going to go out and be myself, really. Just go out and play my game."

It would be bad form for teams to ask DeJean about playing cornerback because of his race. But they are asking him about a possible move to safety – a spot DeJean has never played.

So is that a veiled way of getting around the race thing by wondering if DeJean can do the job he did in college? 

"I feel like it's more about my versatility," DeJean said of those questions. "I feel I've proven I can play outside. And inside. Obviously, I haven't played safety in college, but I feel like I have the ability to play multiple different positions in the back end."

It should be noted, no one has talked to DeJean about his speed. He was an Iowa state track star in high school and at one point had the fastest 100-yard dash in the state.

So no speed questions.

"No," DeJean said with a smile. "No."

And here's the interesting part: Despite teams asking about moving DeJean out of the position he played well in college, neither the athlete nor the media is making a big deal about it.

IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 30:  Defensive back Cooper DeJean #3 of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs a punt return down the sideline during the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at Kinnick Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Iowa City, Iowa.  (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

No Controversy About Moving DeJean

DeJean is actually embracing the line of questioning as an opportunity to show he's eager to compete and willing to do whatever is best for his team.

"I feel like being moved around at Iowa, inside, outside, it's helped me grow as a football player in general," he said. "I feel like it would be no problem if I got moved back there.

"I've talked to a few teams about moving around. Being able to play multiple different positions. I think that's an advantage coming into this league being able to play wherever they put me."

DeJean says he can definitely play in the slot or outside.

"Doesn't matter to me," he said. "I'll play anywhere. I just want to play ball."

But compare this to when, say, black athletes in the past have been asked about moving from quarterback to wide receiver or defensive back. The media has made a story of that, most notably years ago with Lamar Jackson.

The point is, teams should be able to ask players about moving around to understand the athlete's mindset. The question is not a sign of prejudice.

"It's been a lot of fun," DeJean said. "I love to talk ball. I've been enjoying it."

But make no mistake, despite DeJean's willingness to accommodate a team by moving in the secondary, he believes he can definitely play cornerback.

"I feel that showed my ball skills, athleticism. All that, for sure," he said. "I feel I'm a physical guy. I can run. I feel like I have good feel for the game, for sure. I can help out in the run game as well as a corner."