As one door closes, another often opens. That is the case with the Iowa Hawkeyes. A day after cornerback Jermari Harris announced that he is returning to Iowa City for one more year, fellow cornerback Cooper DeJean announced that he is declaring for the 2024 NFL draft.
The Iowa native and fan favorite released a statement today via his Twitter account.
— Cooper DeJean (@cdejean23) January 4, 2024
DeJean’s statement read in full:
These past 3 years have been memories that will last a lifetime. Putting on the black and gold and playing in Kinnick Stadium has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid and it has been everything I expected and more.
I would like to start off by thanking God for being in the position I am today. I would also like to thank my family for their support and for making countless trips across the country to watch me play the game I love.
I want to thank Coach Ferentz for the special opportunity to play at the University of Iowa, Coach Parker for all he has taught me and for sharing the passion he has for the game, and the rest of the staff who takes so much pride in teaching the game and doing things the right way.
Thank you to my teammates for the many memories we have made together on and off the field. I am nothing without you guys. I’ve enjoyed being around so many guys who push one another to get better every single day.
Thank you Hawkye Nation for your continued support. It has been so much fun to play in front of the best fan sin the country each and every week.
With that being said, I am declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft! Go Hawks
DeJean ends his Hawkeye career contributing 120 tackles, 13 pass breakups, seven interceptions, and three interceptions returned for touchdowns. As a punt returner, he had 31 returns for 406 yards (13.09 yards per return) and a touchdown.
DeJean is being mocked as a first-round draft pick across many outlets and is consistently projected among the top 20 talents entering the upcoming NFL draft. His new home is only a matter of time and should be found out early on during the NFL draft’s first round on Thursday, April 25.
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