PFF ranks Cooper #1 CB in the draft

[ichawk24]

2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Cornerbacks | NFL Draft | PFF

Iowa's Cooper DeJean headlines PFF's 2024 NFL Draft cornerback rankings.

www.pff.com

2024 NFL Draft Position Rankings: Cornerbacks​

2RWN74E Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean (3) returns a punt during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Western Michigan, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

1. CB COOPER DEJEAN, IOWA​

BIG BOARD RANK: 8​

DeJean is one of the most well-rounded athletes in college football. He can play outside cornerback, slot cornerback and even safety due to his size (6-foot-1 and 205 pounds) and speed combo. He also has some of the best ball skills of any defensive back in the class. He's one of the draft's top playmakers.

4. CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY, ALABAMA​

BIG BOARD RANK: 19​

McKinstry has shutdown CB1 potential. For schemes that rely on more man coverage, he's very comfortable playing in press and with his back to the ball. Plus, he has one of the highest forced incompletion totals in the country over the past two seasons.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

It will be interesting to see how Coop is used in the League.

 

[QChawks]

It will be interesting to see how Coop is used in the League.

agreed

white DB's aren't exactly a thing anymore, perhaps a move to safety

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

agreed

white DB's aren't exactly a thing anymore, perhaps a move to safety

I could definitely see that. I haven’t looked at any mocks yet to see which teams are in the mix for him.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

After the combine (if he's 100% healthy) his stock is going to climb even higher.

Many scouts probably haven't seen him in person yet, and have only seen his highlights.

I definitely don't see him sliding past Miami at #21, and suspect he's gone by pick #12.

 

[GlenHawk]

@HawkMachine 👀

 

[xdhsgrad2002x]

For better or worse his draft position is heavily tied to his 40 time. If it is 4.4 or lower, he will sky rocket, above 4.5 he will fall significantly.

Been 20 years since a white CB has started in the NFL.

 

[shudaddy]

After the combine (if he's 100% healthy) his stock is going to climb even higher.

Many scouts probably haven't seen him in person yet, and have only seen his highlights.

I definitely don't see him sliding past Miami at #21, and suspect he's gone by pick #12.

Assuming he's back at full health, he'll test well for his size & speed combo. I think he'll measure/test similar to Iowa's only top-10 DB pick(Tommy Knight at 6ft/202lbs), but Coop's a much better overall player.

His versatility to play slot corner or safety, stay with receivers/tackle bigger RBs, return punts/be punt gunner....makes him a coveted draft asset.

 

[Drinkin Buddy]

For better or worse his draft position is heavily tied to his 40 time. If it is 4.4 or lower, he will sky rocket, above 4.5 he will fall significantly.

Been 20 years since a white CB has started in the NFL.

Safeties have a higher annual salary than cornerbacks, by $200K.

Defensive backs who can play corner, nickel, safety and return kicks are a rarity and very valuable. Only three active DBs (all CBs) regularly returned kicks in the NFL (one of them is Desmond King). The rest were WRs and RBs.

Coop will do more than fine in the NFL.

PS. The three highest average salaries in the NFL are : 1. Left Tackle. 2. Right Tackle. 3. QB.

 

[JRHawk2003]

They will likely turn him into a safety

 

[Drinkin Buddy]

They will likely turn him into a safety

Good. He'll make more $$$ and have a longer playing career at S.

Cornerbacks have a MUCH heavier workload than Safeties.

And with far less of a work load at S, Coop can be a far more effective returner and maximize his second contract.

 

[xdhsgrad2002x]

Safeties have a higher annual salary than cornerbacks, by $200K.

Defensive backs who can play corner, nickel, safety and return kicks are a rarity and very valuable. Only three active DBs (all CBs) regularly returned kicks in the NFL (one of them is Desmond King). The rest were WRs and RBs.

Coop will do more than fine in the NFL.

PS. The three highest average salaries in the NFL are : 1. Left Tackle. 2. Right Tackle. 3. QB.

This is a bit misleading because there are more CBs on NFL rosters there's more minimum guys.

If you take CB1, CB2, NB on every team versus 2 starting safeties

You get 7.7 million for CBs versus 6.7 million for Safeties.

If you exclude NB and just do top two versus top two.

You get 9.36 million versus 6.7 million.

Top tier CBs make way more.

 

[ichawk24]

Here are links of top 35 salaries at safety and CB for 2023. Compare similarly ranked guys, like #5, #10, #20, and #30, and the cornerbacks are always around $2M higher.

NFL's highest-paid safeties list: Ranking the top salaries for the position in 2023

Just two short months after Minkah Fitzpatrick got the most lucrative contract for a safety in NFL history, Derwin James topped that compensation.

www.usatoday.com

Who is the NFL's highest-paid cornerback? A look at the 32 top salaries for CBs in 2023.

The ever-increasing emphasis on the passing game has made the NFL's top cornerbacks even more valuable.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Drinkin Buddy]

Here are links of top 35 salaries at safety and CB for 2023. Compare similarly ranked guys, like #5, #10, #20, and #30, and the cornerbacks are always around $2M higher.

NFL's highest-paid safeties list: Ranking the top salaries for the position in 2023

Just two short months after Minkah Fitzpatrick got the most lucrative contract for a safety in NFL history, Derwin James topped that compensation.

www.usatoday.com

Who is the NFL's highest-paid cornerback? A look at the 32 top salaries for CBs in 2023.

The ever-increasing emphasis on the passing game has made the NFL's top cornerbacks even more valuable.

www.usatoday.com

Most all NFL teams have 10 defensive backs on their rosters, including 53 man and practice. That's 320 DBs to make up the average.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

I don’t have a NFL team, so I hope Coop gets drafted to a team without any other Hawks so I have another team to root for. Go Hawks in the NFL!

 

[MAXIMUSHAWKEYE]

Bears would be wise and draft him #1 and have him play both ways. CB and QB ;^)