Former Iowa football star Cooper DeJean gets award named after him

Outside of Caitlin Clark, no athlete from the state of Iowa has captivated fans and the general public more than Cooper DeJean recently.

DeJean quickly grew into a fan favorite during his time as a Hawkeye, making huge plays left and right on defense and special teams. His popularity only grew after being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, where his pick-six of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes helped the Birds capture the Super Bowl in his rookie season. He's now a household name amongst football fans, which is incredible when you look at his journey to Iowa.

DeJean's rise from small-town Iowa to an NFL star is straight out of Hollywood. He grew up in Odebolt, Iowa, a farming town consisting of around 920 people. He played high school football at OABCIG, a school that takes students from five smaller towns in the area. His time at OABCIG was the stuff of legends, as he dominated on the field, court, and track as a four-sport athlete.

He was one of the best high school players in the history of the state, and now his name will forever be tied to that. It was recently announced that there will be a new trophy handed out yearly to the top high school football player in the state of Iowa: the Cooper DeJean Trophy.

It's a well-deserved honor for DeJean, who serves as an inspiring story for kids across the state. It doesn't matter where you're from, how big your hometown is, or what school you play at. Anyone is capable of making it to the professional level and having a ton of success.

The inaugural Cooper DeJean Trophy will be handed out on April 12 at 4 p.m. CT. The ceremony is at the Talons of Tuscany Golf Club in Ankeny, Iowa. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase. There will be a livestream option as well for those who can't make it in person.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Former Iowa football star Cooper DeJean gets award named after him