Cooper DeJean is ready to begin his NFL career without any injury restrictions.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday the Iowa defensive back sent a letter to every team in the league that revealed he was medically cleared to return to all football activities and will hold an individual workout on April 8.
That workout will include all on-field testing and position work even though he suffered a broken fibula in November.
Despite the injury, DeJean was excellent during his final season at Iowa.
He was a consensus All-American who tallied 41 tackles, five passes defended and two interceptions while helping lead the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten Championship Game. He also impacted the game beyond the defensive side of the ball with 21 punt returns for 241 yards and one touchdown.
The impressive campaign came after he was arguably even better in 2022 with 75 tackles, eight passes defended and five interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He also averaged 16.5 yards per punt return that season.
DeJean's overall speed and athleticism stood out during his time with the Hawkeyes, which is one reason he was able to return punts and find the end zone on so many of his interceptions.
That athleticism is a primary reason B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected him as a first-round pick at No. 22 overall in its most recent mock draft. It also listed him as the fourth-best cornerback and 31st overall player on its latest big board.
There was some uncertainty regarding DeJean's injury status, but he cleared that up during the NFL Scouting Combine.
He told reporters it was a broken fibula that required surgery, which is why he didn't fully participate in the combine. He also stressed that he would work out at some point before the draft begins on April 25.
Brent Sobleski @brentsobleskiCooper DeJean's mysterious injury has been revealed: He suffered a fractured fibula in his left leg. He's medically cleared but still working his way back to work out for NFL teams at some point prior to the draft. <a href="">
That workout is now scheduled, which will give DeJean the opportunity to cement his status as a potential first-round pick who can keep up with some of the NFL's speediest wide receivers in a pass-happy league.
