Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has developed a reputation in recent years for identifying and aggressively pursuing star power and marrying top prospects to value throughout the NFL Draft.
During the first two rounds, at the very least, of the 2024 draft, Roseman and the Eagles struck again by selecting former Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the first round and then trading up the board in the second round to stop Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean’s slide.
Mitchell and DeJean were viewed ahead of the draft as two of the premier cornerbacks in a loaded class at the position as well two of the top defenders.
Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman put together a list of key takeaways for every team across the league, and credits Roseman for being regarded as “the best drafter in the league.”
“There are draft steals every year,” Wasserman points out. “But, Philadelphia selecting Mitchell and DeJean is highway robbery. Mitchell led the FBS in overall grade in each of the past two seasons, and DeJean is one of the cleanest projections in the class with his plus athleticism and clean technique. These two players put the Eagles back in Super Bowl contention.
“As if that weren’t enough, the Eagles also landed Ainias Smith, Johnny Wilson and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. far later than many expected. They had another terrific draft and continue to show why they are annual contenders.”
Given cornerback James Bradberry‘s significant struggles down the stretch in 2023, there’s a real chance Mitchell will push for a starting job as a rookie.
But, regardless of what the 2024 season holds in store, Roseman essentially built out the Eagles’ top cornerback duo for at least the next four seasons by capitalizing on the board and landing two of the top players available at the position.
“We didn’t feel like we had to a take a corner in the first round but it was the highest-ranked player on our board at a position that we would like to get some younger players here,” Roseman told reporters. “We got some younger players last year and we like those younger players. We wanted to add some competition at the corner position.”
Howie Roseman Explains Cooper DeJean Trade Up
#Eagles GM Howie Roseman trading up with Washington to get Cooper DeJean in Round 2.
Philadelphia thought the Rams traded ahead of them to get DeJean, but they didn’t — and Howie was PUMPED.
This access is awesome.
(via @Eagles YT) pic.twitter.com/b4JJFkCx8q
— Ari M (@AriMeirov) May 2, 2024
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
It became obvious fairly early on in the second round of the draft that Roseman and the Eagles had sights set on DeJean.
Eight picks into night two of the draft, Philadelphia traded picks No. 50, 53, and 161 to Washington in exchange for pick No. 40, No. 78, and 152 to land DeJean, whom some analysts projected to the Eagles in the first round.
“Both those guys were first-round players for us,” Roseman told reporters. “We didn’t have 32 first-round guys, so when you get that opportunity to get two first-round guys, especially picking where we were, we felt like it was an opportunity and it was obviously an area we wanted to address. We felt like we addressed a lot of the areas of our football team through free agency, but that was one area we could address.”
DeJean has the versatility to play on the boundary, in the slot, and even played snaps at safety during his time at the University of Iowa.
In 10 games last season, DeJean held opposing quarterbacks to a meager 37.8 passer rating when targeting him, according to Pro Football Focus, which could significantly boost the Eagles’ secondary should he get on the field as a rookie.
“Cooper DeJean is the most instinctive athlete in this draft,” an AFC personnel director told Heavy. “You never see him in a bad position, can play cornerback, can play safety, you can put him at nickel, and, on top of everything else he’s your punt returner.”
First Eagles Rookie Signs His Contract
Former Florida State wide receiver Johnny Wilson didn’t waste any time signing his rookie contract.
The Eagles’ sixth-round selection with the No. 158 overall pick, Wilson became the first member of Philadelphia’s draft class to sign his rookie deal.
Wilson, 6-foot-6 and 231 pounds, caught 41 passes in 10 games for the Seminoles last season, producing 617 yards with a pair of touchdown receptions.
Comments
Eagles’ Howie Roseman Praised for ‘Highway Robbery’