Cooper DeJean has received the all-clear on his health after a season-ending injury at Iowa this past season.

DeJean, Iowa’s lockdown defensive back and dynamic return man, was in the middle of another strong season before an injury in November. That broken fibula came during practice ahead of the Illinois game as DeJean would miss the final 4 games of the season.

The good news is that DeJean is in the clear of his recovery with ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealing his camp sent a letter to every NFL team last week. That letter included the fact that DeJean is clear to resume all football activities.

He will also hold an individual workout on April 8 to perform all on-field testing and position work without any restrictions. That workout is sure to draw a healthy presence of interested NFL personnel.

Even with his injury, DeJean has received a first-round projection in multiple mock drafts. Fans can track the latest odds and trends for DeJean’s potential landing spot with Tradition’s BetMGM links.

What it means for DeJean

Coming out of the 2022 season, DeJean was building a strong case as a top NFL Draft prospect with 5 interceptions and 3 pick-6s for the Hawkeyes. He continued that trend in 2023 as teams regularly avoided his side of the field, but he still managed 2 interceptions and 5 pass breakups in the fall. DeJean’s prowess in the return game is also well-documented with a 13.1 yards per punt return average and 1 touchdown while with the Hawkeyes.

Even with his injury, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had DeJean as his 21st overall prospect for the draft. Kiper pointed to DeJean “catching my eye” when he watched the 2022 film from the Hawkeyes. Even with the injury, Kiper believes DeJean has the physical makeup to become the top corner from this draft class.

We’ll see how DeJean performs at his upcoming workout, but a strong showing could solidify his stance as a first-round draft pick.