There are many directions the Pittsburgh Steelers could go with their first-round pick, and one of the most intriguing of the less likely options for me is DB Cooper DeJean. The Iowa product is one of the most versatile defenders in this draft class. A peg of many shapes to fit a number of holes a team may have.
The Steelers have a number of holes in their secondary, but the most glaring one right now is the slot. They simply do not have a credible slot defender, and drafting DeJean gives them one immediately with room for expansion. Draft expert Matt Williamson thinks it’s an idea worth exploring for the Steelers.
“The one to really stress here is Cooper DeJean from Iowa”, he told Tim Benz on the Breakfast with Benz podcast. “He is a little straight-line-ish. Many think he’s a safety. I think he’s a slot, a ‘star’ back, which is a box type of guy, highly capable of being an outside corner, and might be a superstar safety. I think if you would get DeJean in the first round, you might just be done with your defensive backfield, and that’s a nice little approach. If one pick could fill all those gaps, I think that’s really attractive”.
The Steelers used the 32nd-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on a defensive back in CB Joey Porter Jr. He didn’t take long to get on the field and had emerged as a full-time starter by midseason. The rest of the cornerback position is largely in shambles however.
Levi Wallace and Chandon Sullivan remain unsigned, while the Steelers already released Patrick Peterson. James Pierre signed elsewhere in free agency, leaving them with, basically, Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush as their depth. Some in a particularly charitable mood like to throw in Luq Barcoo as well.
But none of them play the slot. The only credible cornerback on the roster who is a potential slot option is Donte Jackson. They gave up a lot to get him via trade, but he is set up as their outside cornerback opposite Porter. He also has minimal experience actually playing in the slot even though people always viewed him as slot-capable.
Stick Cooper DeJean in between Porter and Jackson and you’re onto something there. Perhaps in a year or so he either takes over a full-time cornerback position outside or even moves to safety. The Steelers don’t have a long-term answer opposite Minkah Fitzpatrick, the current starter presumably DeShon Elliott.
Whether he’s a safety or a cornerback or a slot defender, the Steelers could find a place for DeJean. He would be a good, if not very good, first-round selection. The only problem is they probably need other positions more at that spot in the draft—like, say, offensive line.
