The Iowa Hawkeyes won't have a lot of representation in this year's Super Bowl, but Hawkeye fans are hoping the one former player who will be there will have a big impact on his team.
Former Iowa star cornerback/punt returner Cooper DeJean is heading to the Super in just his first season in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles will face the back-to-back Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs and hope to get their avenge their loss back in Super Bowl 57.
DeJean has been great for the Eagles all season long, working with fellow rookie Quinyon Mitchell in the secondary. the first-year cornerback took some time to make an impact on the field at the beginning of the season, but once he got his opportunity, he made the most of it.
In his rookie year, DeJean has recorded 51 total tackles, 38 solo tackles, 0.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, and six passes defended. In the NFC Championship, DeJean had six tackles, one that saved a touchdown for Jayden Daniels, and two passes defended, one of them coming in a big moment on the Commander's first drive.
This Eagles defense is ranked No. 1 in the NFL and will now face probably their biggest test in trying to guard Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs offense. DeJean could be guarding fellow rookie Xavier Worthy, who was selected just a few times before DeJean. He could also be guarding veterans such as Hollywood Brown, Deandre Hopkins, or maybe even future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce.
It will be a tough test, but DeJean and the rest of this Eagles squad will have two weeks to prepare for the biggest game of the season and be ready to take the back-to-back champs and stop a historic three-peat.