The Eagles really wanted Cooper DeJean and they provided evidence of that last week when they dropped the draft room video from Friday night when they traded up to get him.
It was clear how much the Eagles wanted DeJean. And it had to be a neat experience for the 21-year-old defensive back to see that.
“That’s really cool,” DeJean Said. “To see that those guys, how bad they wanted to get me here. Like I said before, this is a place I wanted to be throughout the whole pre-draft process, especially after my visit here. So to see that they wanted me here as well, was really cool.”
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The clip shows general manager Howie Roseman working the phones in an attempt to move up to draft DeJean. But it also shows the emotional swings that a team can go through during a draft.
The Eagles thought they were going to be able to get DeJean, then they really didn’t, then they made it happen.
Initially, the Eagles were working to get pick 39 from the Panthers and the potential deal was 50, 53 and 210 for 39, 65, 240. Instead, Carolina accepted a trade offer from the Rams.
NFL
When the Rams were on the clock, the Eagles thought they lost DeJean.
“Ah, that’s it,” Roseman said.
“That is it, unfortunately,” owner Jeffrey Lurie agreed.
But then when the Rams’ pick was announced as Florida State DT Braden Fiske, the Eagles’ draft room erupted. Roseman let out a huge, “YES!” and celebrated with a fist pump.
Roseman then quickly got the Commanders back on the phone and pulled the trigger on the trade up to 40 to land DeJean.
Lurie told DeJean after the pick was in that the Eagles were "obsessed" with getting him on Day 2.
DeJean has said his 30 visit to Philadelphia really cemented how much he wanted to play for the Eagles. He said there’s a “family-type vibe” in the NovaCare Complex and he wanted to be a part of it.
Meanwhile, DeJean said the Rams didn’t have much contact with him during the pre-draft process. Sometimes, NFL teams convince themselves that the rest of the league views the draft the same way they do but that’s not always the case.
It is a bit curious that the Rams traded up to 39 in front of the Commanders to draft a defensive tackle despite how loaded the Commanders are at the position, especially after drafting Johnny Newton earlier in the second round.
But it was clear that in the moment, the Eagles thought they lost their guy.
They thought the Rams were about to draft DeJean.
“But I’m glad they didn’t,” DeJean said with a smile. “I’m glad I’m here now.”
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