March Madness is all about making bold picks, and Philadelphia Eagles cornerbackCooper DeJean isn’t sitting this one out. As brackets flooded in on Selection Sunday, the Super Bowl champion threw his predictions into the mix-complete with a clear-cut national champion.
DeJean’s Final Four features a mix of powerhouse programs and a few surprises. He’s backing Michigan State (No. 2) to edge out Auburn (No. 1) in the South and has Florida (No. 1) taking down Texas Tech (No. 3) in the West. On the other side, he’s picking Duke (No. 1) to handle BYU (No. 6) in the East and Houston (No. 1) to hold off Kentucky (No. 3) in the Midwest.
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And when it comes to the national championship? DeJean has two No. 1 seeds going head-to-head-Florida and Houston. But in the end, he’s putting his money on the Cougars.
A team built for tournament success
Houston has looked the part of a championship contender all season. With a 30-4 record and a Big 12 title under their belt, the Cougars have been nearly unstoppable since December, dropping just one game in that span-a nail-biter against Texas Tech.
The team’s success is largely thanks to their suffocating defense, allowing just 58.5 points per game, which ranks them among the nation’s best. And then there’s senior guard L.J. Cryer, who leads the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game. With his ability to step up in big moments, Houston has a go-to guy when things get tight.
For DeJean, it makes sense to back a team with that kind of defensive intensity. After all, the Eagles’ rookie knows a thing or two about shutting opponents down.
The Cougars also have another major edge-road dominance. They’re the only team in the nation that went undefeated in away games this season, proving they can win in hostile environments. That kind of poise could be the difference when the stakes get even higher in the tournament.
Now, all that’s left is to see if DeJean’s pick can make good on his prediction and bring home their first NCAA title. If they do, the Eagles cornerback might just have another championship celebration to enjoy-this time, from the sidelines.
