Howie Roseman deciding to finally invest draft capital on cornerbacks in 2024 is going to end up being one of the smartest moves he’s made.
Rookies always face a steep learning curve as they transition from college to the NFL, and even some of the top picks don’t contribute until later their first season or even into their second season. That hasn’t been a problem for first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell who has been a consistent bright spot for the Eagles defense since Week 1.
Early second-round pick Cooper DeJean had to wait just a little longer to make an impact after suffering a hamstring injury ahead of training camp. All those missed practices added up and when DeJean was medically cleared, he still took a few weeks to earn his snaps on game day. But as his snap count gradually increased, and he got some more live-rep experience, the rookie was finally ready for a starting role in Week 6.
Not only did DeJean get his first start on Sunday against the Browns, he was a hugely impactful player, and finished the game six tackles, a QB hit, and 0.5 sacks — in addition to four punt returns for 51 yards.
After the game, DeJean revealed that he and Mitchell swapped jerseys after their first game together as Eagles’ starters.
It’s incredibly cool that these two competitive guys embraced coming in as members of the same draft class, not to mention top picks at the same position. The duo being close will only serve the Eagles and Eagles fans well in the immediate and distant future.
So, thank you Howie, for finally using top draft picks on a couple of CBs who are looking more and more like the long-term solution for a position that desperately needed it.
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