DeVonta Smith gives hilarious reason for Cooper DeJean being fan-favorite Eagles player

Fresh off their Super Bowl victory, plenty of fan favorites exist in Philadelphia. DeVonta Smith is certainly one of them, having a great connection with Jalen Hurts dating back to their days in Tuscaloosa. But nobody on the Eagles appears to be more popular than Cooper DeJean.

Now a second-year player out of Iowa, people in Philadelphia have loved watching DeJean play. But why exactly? If you ask Smith, it’s because DeJean is doing something we have not seen in a while.

“I don’t want to say it but I’m going to say it,” Smith said. “He’s a white guy playing DB. It doesn’t happen often so when it does happen, everybody loves it.”

Some elite athleticism is why DeJean is able to play defensive back at a high level. His basketball background is well documented. Earlier this month, DeJean was back in Iowa City playing pickup games with new Iowa head coach Ben McCollum.

And apparently, baseball/softball is right up there too. DeJean won the home run derby at Smith’s charity softball event on Saturday. He was seen hoisting up the trophy after belting out 14 balls, four more than anyone else.

Cooper DeJean is the winner of the DeVonta Smith Celebrity Softball Game Home Run Derby.

DeJean had 14 HR.

Dethroned defending champ Isaiah Rodgers (finished with 10).

Mack Wilson and DeVonta Smith also had 10. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/feZzTM6tF7

— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) June 28, 2025

However, football is obviously where DeJean excels the most. This past season with the Eagles, he played in 16 regular season games and started in nine of them. DeJean finished with 51 total tackles, three of which were for a loss. Six passes were defended when dropping back into coverage.

Voters around the league have a ton of respect for DeJean as well. He finished fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year, an award won by Jared Verse of the Los Angeles Rams. Another Eagles defensive back, Quinyon Mitchell, actually earned second place.

“We’d like to keep him at nickel, and then in our base package we’ll find a spot for him, either at corner or safety,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio recently said about DeJean. “A lot of it will end up depending on how the other guys develop and where we most need him. It will be determined by what’s best for him and what’s best for the team — and what’s best for the team will win out in that decision. But he’s capable of playing corner and he’s capable of playing safety.”

Popularity will only continue to rise for DeJean as position versatility becomes a part of his game. Smith knows exactly why fans enjoy watching him play.