I have a problem with Cooper Dejean type players

[NastyNateSoldiers]

Correct me if I'm wrong but these guys never pan out especially when drafted in first 2 rds where pressure is on them to contribute right away. 

 

I've seen Corners move to safety as vets and still play on a high level or even mid to late Rd pks like Poyer and Hyde make the transition and become studs but please if anyone here knows of a player that went high in the draft and was able to either move from corner to safety or vis versa and do it at a high level right away. We just recently seen Simmons get drafted high and he was a stud at Clemson and moving to safety derailed his career and he played that postion in college as well as corner and Lber these hybrid tweener types never pan out drafted high the ones that do or the lower Rd pks that get the time and patience from the coaches to make that full transition and if your thinking about flat out using Dejean like in college as a hybrid player on the NFL level that never works as well. So if anyone remembers someone that actually made this transition please add to the chat, thanks. 

Cooper will not be a good corner in the NFL as well he has tight hips and gets burned by lower level players in the big ten . I realize he's made some splash plays on tape but thats not gonna help him on the NFL level where u see professionals on a daily basis in practice and at 100% on Sundays. 

[Mark Vader]

Don't start them right away. Let them sit and learn.

[Brandon]

I don't think he's a hybrid player.  He's a zone CB with good size,  and given his pro day testing,  looks like an athletic freak.  If he doesn't make it at CB,  then you move him to safety,  but I'd give him his first shot at CB. 

Edited April 23 by Brandon

[mrags]

I agree that o don’t see what makes him look so special to other people. To me he doesn’t jump off the page. I definitely wouldn’t take him in rd1. I could see a late 2nd or after for him as I think he’s a good athlete and can play multiple positions. But in the 1st rd I’m looking for a positional stud, someone that is dominant at their position. Not a guy that played one position In college but projects to something else in the pros. 

[NastyNateSoldiers]

13 minutes ago, Brandon said:

I don't think he's a hybrid player.  He's a zone CB with good size,  and given his pro day testing,  looks like an athletic freak.  If he doesn't make it at CB,  then you move him to safety,  but I'd give him his first shot at CB. 

That might be his best spot as Zone corner but most people got him moving to Safety as if we didn't him to move him to another position that's something that never hardly works especially for high picks players. I mean we seen Milano make that transaction from Safety to Lber but he's one of few that's done that

[947]

Tweeners who don't fit a singular position do usually bust, but there have been some successes.

 

Brian Urlacher played Safety-LB hybrid & returned kicks at New Mexico, he was a stud at MLB from day 1 in the NFL.

[schoolhouserock]

18 minutes ago, NastyNateSoldiers said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but these guys never pan out especially when drafted in first 2 rds where pressure is on them to contribute right away. 

 

I've seen Corners move to safety as vets and still play on a high level or even mid to late Rd pks like Poyer and Hyde make the transition and become studs but please if anyone here knows of a player that went high in the draft and was able to either move from corner to safety or vis versa and do it at a high level right away. We just recently seen Simmons get drafted high and he was a stud at Clemson and moving to safety derailed his career and he played that postion in college as well as corner and Lber these hybrid tweener types never pan out drafted high the ones that do or the lower Rd pks that get the time and patience from the coaches to make that full transition and if your thinking about flat out using Dejean like in college as a hybrid player on the NFL level that never works as well. So if anyone remembers someone that actually made this transition please add to the chat, thanks. 

Cooper will not be a good corner in the NFL as well he has tight hips and gets burned by lower level players in the big ten . I realize he's made some splash plays on tape but thats not gonna help him on the NFL level where u see professionals on a daily basis in practice and at 100% on Sundays. 

One need only look at a former Hawkeye and great Buffalo Bill to see how this can work: Micah Hyde. Hyde was a zone corner before successfully moving over to Safety. DeJean has better tools than Hyde had and therefore warrants a higher selection.

 

No idea where you are getting “tight hips” or “burned by lower level players”. As someone who has watched every game Coop has played, this is demonstrably false.

 

Dejean is also a fantastic punt returner. Tough, smart, and super athletic. He has a real chance to be every bit as good as Hyde.

 

 

[Brandon]

2 minutes ago, NastyNateSoldiers said:

That might be his best spot as Zone corner but most people got him moving to Safety as if we didn't him to move him to another position that's something that never hardly works especially for high picks players. I mean we seen Milano make that transaction from Safety to Lber but he's one of few that's done that

 

They're projecting a move to safety primarily because he's a white guy.  Non-factor,  IMO. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

15 minutes ago, mrags said:

I agree that o don’t see what makes him look so special to other people. To me he doesn’t jump off the page. I definitely wouldn’t take him in rd1. I could see a late 2nd or after for him as I think he’s a good athlete and can play multiple positions. But in the 1st rd I’m looking for a positional stud, someone that is dominant at their position. Not a guy that played one position In college but projects to something else in the pros. 

Brian Urlacher says hello 👋 

[GunnerBill]

I think he is a zone corner and will be a good one. I would not move him to safety personally. 

 

As for the wary of hybrids..... Kyle Dugger, Kyle Hamilton, Tyran Mathieu - all hybrids in college who have been good to excellent in the NFL. 

[mrags]

5 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Brian Urlacher says hello 👋 

 

Well. I think the difference is that Dejean is listed as a CB in college (not every year but in 2023 he was) and we’re talking about him moving around and being a tweener at multiple positions in the NFL. Where as Urlacher was the tweener in college and he played generally LB in the nfl (other than his first season). 
 

my point is this, in the first round you should be getting a guy that you think is going to be a solid starter at a specific position of need in your team. Not a Swiss Army knife that isn’t great at anything but able to do 3-4 different positions. To me, this kid looks like a go between of a safety and a CB, and will excel at special teams. I don’t see him as much more than a role player. Which is fine, but not worthy of a wasted #1 pick. 
 

And for the record, bringing up a guy like Urlacher being drafted 24 years ago would be like anyone bringing up Len Dawson being one of the best ever. Completely different times. The game has changed. Not even in the same argument. 

 

[SCBills]

ZERO chance i'm drafting a guy in RD1 that I "hope" can play CB.  Annoying to even discuss this, but I get why we are.

[mrags]

Just now, SCBills said:

ZERO chance i'm drafting a guy in RD1 that I "hope" can play CB.  Annoying to even discuss this, but I get why we are.

Thank you. This is where I’m at 

[Low Positive]

28 minutes ago, Brandon said:

 

They're projecting a move to safety primarily because he's a white guy.  Non-factor,  IMO. 

You are probably joking, but the last white CB to start a game was Sehorn in 2003.

[Brandon]

9 minutes ago, Low Positive said:

You are probably joking, but the last white CB to start a game was Sehorn in 2003.

 

No,  I'm not joking at all.  I don't think most NFL teams are going to be guilty of it,  but outside of that,  a lot of people are going to take one look at a white guy playing CB in college and immediately assume that he should move to safety in the NFL.   Maybe if he'd posted some pedestrian numbers at his pro day.  Instead,  it was borderline freakish,  especially for a guy one month clear off a broken leg.  

Edited April 23 by Brandon

[Udubalum07]

For those that said he isn't great at either, the guy didn't give up a single pass over 20 yards all year, zero touchdowns given up last year.  Two time all american.  That is pretty elite from a CB.

 

The guy has a history of playing safety, both in college and high school, so its not that he is a complete novice at either position. He had excellent coaching from Phil Parker at Iowa.  Just take a look at all the defensive backs currently in the pros from Iowa.  Also, is an excellent returner. 

 

My biggest worry would be his late season injury and even though most people recover these days, it may be a 2 year process before he is himself. 

 

[Brandon]

1 minute ago, Udubalum07 said:

My biggest worry would be his late season injury and even though most people recover these days, it may be a 2 year process before he is himself. 

 

 

Go look at his pro day numbers a week or so ago.  I don't think it's an issue at all.  He's fine.   

[MrEpsYtown]

I think Kyle Hamilton comes to mind. But he also plays in a defensive scheme that is made for free lancing and things of that nature. I do think it is a fair critique because I don't think McDermott's defense is very multiple and so I am not sure a player like that would have success as a swiss army knife. That said I think he'd be a great corner in this system and an all-pro safety. 

[BullBuchanan]

 

1 hour ago, mrags said:

 

Well. I think the difference is that Dejean is listed as a CB in college (not every year but in 2023 he was) and we’re talking about him moving around and being a tweener at multiple positions in the NFL. Where as Urlacher was the tweener in college and he played generally LB in the nfl (other than his first season). 
 

my point is this, in the first round you should be getting a guy that you think is going to be a solid starter at a specific position of need in your team. Not a Swiss Army knife that isn’t great at anything but able to do 3-4 different positions. To me, this kid looks like a go between of a safety and a CB, and will excel at special teams. I don’t see him as much more than a role player. Which is fine, but not worthy of a wasted #1 pick. 
 

And for the record, bringing up a guy like Urlacher being drafted 24 years ago would be like anyone bringing up Len Dawson being one of the best ever. Completely different times. The game has changed. Not even in the same argument. 

 

Minkah Fitzpatrick? Tyrann Mathieu?

[Buffalo716]

2 hours ago, NastyNateSoldiers said:

That might be his best spot as Zone corner but most people got him moving to Safety as if we didn't him to move him to another position that's something that never hardly works especially for high picks players. I mean we seen Milano make that transaction from Safety to Lber but he's one of few that's done that

Milano made that transition during his freshman year of college 

 

He didn't even play one full season as a safety... Just a few appearances as a 210 pound kid

 

So he was safety size