The Philadelphia Eagles set out to rebuild the secondary following a woefully disappointing collapse in the second half of the 2023 season before emerging from the NFL draft with two of the top cornerbacks available.
While it remains to be seen whether first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell or second-round choice Cooper DeJean can supplant either James Bradberry or Darius Slay in new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense, general manager Howie Roseman’s haul has garnered major praise in the aftermath of the draft.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen put together a list of the draft picks around the league who landed with teams that are a “perfect” fit for their skill set, including Mitchell and the Eagles.
“The Eagles landed the top corner in the draft with Mitchell,” Bowen wrote for ESPN. “And I see a pretty seamless fit here under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Mitchell can use his explosive downhill speed — he ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine — when playing off the ball in Cover 3 or quarters. But he also has the man coverage skills to challenge on the perimeter, with the ability to open and run with receivers on vertical concepts. He had 16 pass breakups last season at Toledo and is truly scheme-versatile.
“In run support, Mitchell will set an edge and tackle. There’s a definite physical element to his game, and you’ll see him cut off the ball carrier’s angle and put him on the ground. By drafting Mitchell and second-rounder Cooper DeJean, the Eagles upgraded the secondary with physical, fast and aggressive players who can find the ball.”
At 6-foot and 195 pounds, Mitchell’s ball skills and speed made him one of the top prospects in a loaded cornerback draft class and potentially a prototypical fit for Fangio’s scheme.
Pro Football Focus points out that Mitchell held opposing quarterbacks to a meager 51.1 passer rating when throwing his direction last season, while surrendering just 27 receptions in 62 targets. That kind of stinginess could get him on the field quickly in Philadelphia.
How Vic Fangio Plans to Use Cooper DeJean
DeJean was hailed not only as one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s class, ahead of the draft, but also one of the most versatile defensive backs.
During his career at Iowa, DeJean spent time playing the boundary, in the slot, and even at safety.
However, in Philadelphia, Fangio says that the plan is to start DeJean at his primary position, cornerback, as a rookie.
“There’s a lot of players that physically are capable of being versatile,” Fangio told reporters on May 9. “Where a lot of them get eliminated from being versatile is they struggle to learn the assignments and the techniques and the execution at a couple of different positions.
“You start them out at a primary position, and then you start giving them the secondary position, and you go from there.”
As a senior, DeJean produced 41 total tackles with 2 interceptions and 2 tackles for loss in 10 games for the Hawkeyes last season.
DeJean’s positional fluidity could help him get on the field quicker, and his instincts, lauded by one NFL executive as the best in this year’s class, give him a chance to make a major impact.
“What stands out the most for me is his eyes, his quick feet, and top-tier ball skills,” an AFC executive told Heavy during the NFL draft. “One of the most certain guys in this entire class.”
Kellen Moore Vows to Feature Eagles’ Stars
The Eagles hired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, in part, in hopes he would spark a Jalen Hurts resurgence after the quarterback took a bit of a step back in 2023.
In addition to hiring Moore, the Eagles added serious star-power to Hurts’ supporting cast this offseason, including signing All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley and bolstering the quality veteran depth at wide receiver by picking up Parris Campbell and Devante Parker.
Moore, in his first public comments as Eagles offensive coordinator says that Philadelphia’s scheme this season is going to be built around the offense’s stars.
“I think everyone’s got their different flavor from a systematic approach,” Moore told reporters Thursday. “Our real focus here, as we’ve gone through this process, is we’ve got a lot of good going on. We can’t lose the good in the reps that Jalen and A.J. have developed and Dallas (Goedert) has developed and this offensive line has developed. How can we build off of those things and really connect the whole thing?”
There is only one football and a lot of star power to go around on the Eagles’ offense, how Moore finds a way to maximize them could dictate the ceiling for Philadelphia’s offense this upcoming season.
Comments
Analyst Explains Why Eagles Are ‘Perfect’ Spot for CB Quinyon Mitchell