Eagles Could Have ‘Franchise Altering’ Duo of Rookie Cornerbacks

Getty Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean.

The way you make sure your franchise is good for a short amount of time is signing free agents. The way you make sure your franchise is good for a long time is by drafting elite players.

The Philadelphia Eagles may have done the latter in 2024 with their first 2 picks in the draft, when they selected a pair of cornerbacks with Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell in the first round (No. 22 overall) and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean in the second round (No. 4o overall).

Mitchell has established himself as one of the Eagles’ top defensive players from the jump and has started all 9 games. DeJean has become one of the NFL’s best nickelbacks as a rookie and has also made an impact returning punts.

“Between Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean, it looks like the Eagles could have a franchise-altering draft class on their hands,” ESPN’s Mina Kimes wrote on her official X account on November 14.

Mitchell Makes Rare Leap From MAC to First Round

Mitchell was a 2-time All-American at Toledo and became the school’s first Chuck Bednarik Award semifinalist in 2023 after setting a school career record with 46 pass breakups. He followed that by wowing scouts at the NFL combine with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash.

NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein was effusive in his praise for Mitchell leading up to the draft, where Mitchell became the first MAC player selected in the first round since Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis in 2017 and the first Toledo player selected in the first round since defensive tackle Dan Williams in 1993.

“Mitchell possesses a gumbo of traits, with size, strength and speed filling up the pot,” Zierlein wrote. “He’s built like a running back, tackles like a safety and has the ball skills of a cornerback. Mitchell can play in a variety of coverages and was the clear-cut top cornerback at the Senior Bowl when working against the top receivers in practice.”

Mitchell has been a plug-and-play starter since he showed up for the Eagles at left cornerback opposite NFL All-Pro and 6-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay at right cornerback.

Through his first 9 games, Mitchell has 30 tackles, 8 pass deflections and a 70.4 overall grade from PFF.

Eagles Made Bold Move to Pick 2 Cornerbacks

Common draft logic tells us that teams don’t pick players at the same position with consecutive picks — by defying that logic the Eagles may have solidified their secondary for the next decade.

When the Eagles selected Mitchell and DeJean with their first 2 picks, it was the first time the franchise drafted players at the same position with their first 2 picks in a draft since 1986, when they selected Ohio State running back Keith Byars in the first round (No. 10 overall) and Texas A&M’s Anthony Toney  in the second round (No. 37 overall).

DeJean dropping to the second round was a byproduct of a record-setting run on offensive players in the 2024 draft. An NFL record 23 offensive players were taken in the first round, including a record number of quarterbacks (6) and wide receivers (7).

The Eagles didn’t just knock it out of the park with Mitchell and DeJean, either.

Philadelphia’s third pick in the draft, Houston Christian defensive end Jalyx Hunt, went in the third round (No. 94 overall) and has displaced $51 million free agent Bryce Huff in the starting lineup during Philadelphia’s 5-game winning streak and headed into a Thursday Night Football showdown against their NFC East rival the Washington Commanders in Week 11.