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Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz meets with media on Dec. 18, 2025
Class of 2027 prospect Jaxx DeJean, the younger brother of former Iowa football star Cooper DeJean, has committed to the Hawkeyes.
Jaxx DeJean made the announcement via social media on Dec. 21.
DeJean, listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, committed to Iowa as a tight end.
DeJean is a 3-star prospect and the fifth-ranked player in the state of Iowa’s 2027 high school class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
As a junior at OABCIG, DeJean showed versatility offensively. He led the team with 36 receptions for 461 yards and six touchdowns, while rushing for 207 yards and three touchdowns. DeJean also passed for 149 yards and two touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, DeJean recorded 18.5 total tackles and three interceptions.
DeJean was named honorable mention All-Iowa by the Des Moines Register.
The Odebolt product earned offers from UNLV, Kansas State, Michigan, UAB and Iowa.
DeJean has become a well-known last name in the Hawkeye and NFL communities.
Cooper DeJean became an Iowa legend in three seasons with the Hawkeyes, starring as a defensive back and punt returner. As a junior, DeJean was Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year.
DeJean’s story rose to new heights once he got to the NFL. He somewhat surprisingly slipped to the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but was scooped up by the Philadelphia Eagles, which ultimately proved beneficial for both sides. As a rookie, DeJean picked off a pass from megastar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and returned it for a touchdown in Super Bowl LIX to help the Eagles take down the Chiefs.
Before the 2024 NFL Draft, DeJean commented on the recruitment of brother Jaxx.
“I want him to make his own decision,” Cooper said of Jaxx in March of 2024. “If he could be here, that’d be awesome. We’ve all grown up Iowa fans, but I’ll definitely be giving my pitch, for sure.”
Jaxx DeJean is the third prospect to commit to Iowa’s 2027 recruiting class this month.
4-star Bettendorf linebacker Gavin Stecker announced his commitment to the Hawkeyes on Dec. 9. Less than one week later, Pleasantville High School Braylon Bingham also committed to Iowa as a linebacker. And now, DeJean becomes Iowa’s first offensive commitment in the 2027 recruiting class.
All three members of Iowa’s 2027 recruiting class are in-state products.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com