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Philadelphia Eagles DB Cooper DeJean was a high school basketball star

Collin-headshotby: Collin Ginnan02/10/25
Cooper DeJean(8)
Cooper DeJean is playing in the Super Bowl. (Photo: USA Today Sports)

Sunday night, Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean ran a second-quarter interception for a touchdown en route to a 40-22 Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The big win also came on his 22nd birthday.

One of the best rookies in professional football, DeJean was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after his first season in the NFL. A former second-round pick, DeJean was previously a star defensive back in the Big Ten for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

In Iowa City, DeJean was a unanimous All-American, Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and two-time first-team All-Big Ten. But before ever stepping foot on a college campus, he was a standout high school basketball player.

In his senior year at Odebolt–Arthur–Battle Creek–Ida Grove (OABCIG) High School in Ida Grove, Iowa, DeJean averaged 25.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game. He shot 57.8% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range.

The OABCIG Falcons finished with a 21-2 record in the 2020-21 season, culminating in a Class 2A Substate championship loss to Boyden-Hull.

After that, DeJean turned his attention back to football. He was a four-star recruit ranked as the No. 4 athlete in the country by On3. He chose to stay home in the Hawkeye State to play for the Black and Gold.