Eagles DE Cooper DeJean recalls how 20+ prank calls ruined his 2024 draft night

Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Cooper DeJean was selected 40th in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Eagles traded up 10 spots to secure him. The Iowa product was initially expected to be a Day 1 selection, and while his landing in Philadelphia was well-received, the night itself did not go as planned.

In an interview on “Exciting Mics” on Thursday, DeJean shared that his draft night was disrupted by over 30 prank calls, some pretending to be team officials.

“I was a little disappointed. I swear to God, I got like 30 different prank calls,” DeJean said. “The first one I got was ‘this is so and so from the Green Bay Packers’ and I started walking over to sit in my seat. They flip the lights on and I’m sitting down and I figure that’s a prank call.”

The 22-year-old said those calls continued throughout the night, leading him to miss the real call from the Eagles on Day 2.

“And then, come the second day, so I ended up not answering the Eagles call," he added. "When I got drafted, they called my agent.”

Cooper DeJean isn’t the only player affected by draft night pranks. This year, former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, whom the Browns drafted, also had to undergo the same struggle.

The NFL fined the Atlanta Falcons $250,000 after Jax Ulbrich, the son of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, prank-called Sanders during the draft. Jeff was fined $100,000 for the breach of confidential information.

Per a PhillyVoice report, DeJean will appear at the Checkers on Roosevelt Blvd. this Saturday, working the drive-thru from 6:30 to 7 p.m. as part of a fundraising campaign for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. Checkers will donate 33 cents from each large fries sale that weekend, while select customers will receive autographed merchandise.

Cooper DeJean poised for bigger role after standout rookie finish

Cooper DeJean’s strong finish to his rookie year has brought attention to his potential as a high-level nickel corner in 2025. After the Super Bowl performance that featured his first career interception and a touchdown on his 22nd birthday, DeJean received a notable mention from President Donald Trump during the Eagles’ White House visit.

The former Iowa defensive back was recognized for the pick-six in Philadelphia’s 40-22 victory over Kansas City, a moment Trump called “the play of his life.”

From a fantasy football perspective, DeJean produced 65.2 points in his rookie season, recording 50 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, six passes defended, a forced fumble and three fumble recoveries. Projections for 2025 have increased, with FantasyPros estimating 173.8 points based on 79.6 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and 12.5 passes defended. ESPN’s Mike Clay ranks him as the 18th corner, projecting similar outputs.

With increased playing time expected and strong metrics from multiple sources, DeJean enters 2025 positioned as a reliable contributor in IDP formats.