Iowa’s dominant defense over the last few years can be tied to the play of defensive back Cooper DeJean. The All-American star in the secondary gave the Hawkeyes plenty to cheer for on the defensive side of the ball.
What was growing up like for the Swiss Army knife of the defense, and who are DeJean’s parents?
A Look at Cooper DeJean’s Parents
Few draft prospects have the type of family pedigree in sports that Cooper has. Born on Feb. 9, 2003, to parents Jason and Katie DeJean, sports were a central focus to the young Iowa star.
A multi-sport athlete born in Sioux Falls, S.D., before later growing up in Iowa, Cooper’s top sport growing up when he was younger was actually basketball. Football caught his eye, and he was recruited by the Iowa Hawkeyes shortly after.
It’s the basketball background, though, that runs deep in Cooper’s family.
Getting To Know Jason DeJean
Both of Cooper’s parents were college athletes during their time. Jason played basketball for Huron University in South Dakota. While it’s hard to locate the overall stats of Jason’s collegiate career, he understands that passing down sports to his children was very important.
At the very least, he understands that Cooper’s best sport may not be the one he currently excels at.
“He was also a heck of a baseball player in high school,” his dad said to The Gazette. “I’ve got friends that say that’s his best sport.”
Iowa CB Cooper DeJean is the BEST athlete in the 2024 NFL Draft and his high school basketball mixtape is proof of that 😮💨
(h/t @CourtsideFilms) pic.twitter.com/tPguvb20vf
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 7, 2024
Currently, Jason is president of Swanson Insurance & Real Estate and is very supportive of his son’s push to the NFL.
Getting To Know Katie DeJean
While Jason was certainly an athlete in his own right, his wife Katie might’ve been the best athlete of the two of them.
Katie played basketball and softball at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa, and is now working with her husband at Swanson Insurance. Katie was actually a star in her own right — earning a sarcastic comment from her husband saying she was the better athlete of the two. Katie’s father (Cooper’s grandfather, Wilke) was actually a coach in the area and helped teach Cooper the importance of being a multi-sport athlete.
“That’s something they stressed to me: ‘Play all the sports, there’s no need to specialize in one,'” Cooper said to ESPN. “That’s the only time in your life where you can play multiple sports, so why not play all four in high school?”
Both Katie and Jason were major reasons for Cooper’s athleticism, but that’s also been passed down past the Iowa star.
Does DeJean Have Any Siblings?
It’s pretty clear that the DeJean family is full of athletes. Cooper has two younger brothers, one of them named Jaxx who, like Cooper, is a wide receiver and defensive back. Jaxx recently visited Iowa on a college visit. He was a standout in Iowa’s “Back 2 Ballin” 7-on-7 tournament.
Went to my first 7v7 tournament this past weekend, and there was no shortage of talent at Back 2 Ballin.
🏈@Sizzling_bacon5
🏈@Jaxxdejean35
🏈@dallas_miller99
🏈@TateWallace11Here are 25 players (including those four) who stood out in Cedar Falls.https://t.co/XrzHW39jlc
— Alyssa Hertel (@AlyssaHertel) April 16, 2024
Cooper’s other brother, Beckett, is actually a defensive back for the University of South Dakota. Beckett was a quarterback in high school and threw for 2,212 yards and 26 passing touchdowns to go along with 998 yards on the ground and 14 rushing touchdowns during his senior season.
KEEP READING: Top CBs in the 2024 NFL Draft | Top Safeties in the 2024 NFL Draft
The DeJean brothers clearly have a strong athletic upbringing from their parents, and their love of football has put Cooper on the path to being a first-round pick in under a week.
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