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A topic that pops up almost every football season is the rarity of white cornerbacks in the NFL. The notable absence in this position fascinates viewers, even though it has long been a pattern. The NFL's 64 current starting cornerbacks are black. As are their backups.
Cooper DeJean becomes the latest white cornerback in NFL
With the 40th pick in the round 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Cooper DeJean, making him the latest white cornerback in the National Football League. The former Iowa Hawkeyes has a solid build for the cornerback position. DeJean has good vision and he is an excellent turnover-creator.
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Previously, Troy Apke broke the NFL's eighteen-year run without a white cornerback. The Washington Commanders acquired Apke in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. In 2021, he switched from safety to cornerback but only saw a tiny amount of action before being let go in 2022.
Many think Jason Sehorn was the last white cornerback to start an NFL game when he played his final cornerback snap in 2002. However, Kevin Kaesviharn was the last white cornerback to start an NFL game. From 2001 to 2003, Kaesviharn started for the Cincinnati Bengals as a cornerback. Kaesviharn was moved to safety following the 2003 season. However, before quitting, he played in 47 matches while starting at safety.
The New York Giants released Sehorn on March 7, 2003. In May of the same year, he signed as a safety with the St. Louis Rams. He appeared in the final ten matches of the season after missing the first six due to a broken foot. It's important to note that there have been previous instances in which white cornerbacks have participated in NFL games but not as starters.
The Kelce brothers discussed the white cornerback phenomenon on the New Heights podcast
Jason Kelce and his brother Travis Kelce were recently discussing whether or not cornerback is the hardest position to play in the NFL. Jason Kelce used an intriguing yardstick to convince his brother to agree with him. He jokingly said that the fact that there aren't any white guys who can play cornerbacks shows how difficult the role is.
Here's what he said on the New Heights podcast:
"You gotta mirror somebody throughout the whole field, like what's harder than playing cover one? And just staying in somebody's hip and you can't give up a yard of seperation otherwise it's a completion. It's so good that white people can't even do it Travis. Like, that's how you know it's the hardest position, they don't even let white guys try to play cornerback anymore, like they just said, you're done."
These remarks might have raised some eyebrows, but white people are completely permitted to play cornerback. Simply put, it just didn't occur significantly in the league for about 20 years.
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