Cooper DeJean Believes He Can Beat Caitlin Clark in One-on-One Basketball

Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean, who is projected to be drafted into the NFL on Thursday night, has made a bold prediction about his athleticism. He believes he can beat fellow Iowa Hawkeye Caitlin Clark, the first overall pick in the recent WNBA Draft, in a game of one-on-one basketball.

Cooper DeJean is a highly-touted cornerback prospect who is expected to hear his name called in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. But despite his promising football career, DeJean has made a surprising prediction about his athletic abilities.

He believes he can beat Caitlin Clark, the record-breaking Iowa women's basketball star who was recently drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever, in a game of one-on-one basketball.

"A lot of teams" asked DeJean if he could beat Clark in basketball, he told Yahoo Sports. "I said I think I can. She'd probably score a few buckets on me, but I think I could pull it off."

DeJean's confidence stems from his solid basketball career in high school. He was a three-year varsity basketball player at OABCIG High School in Ida Grove, Iowa, where he scored 1,832 points. That's 45 more points than NBA player Harrison Barnes scored in Iowa during his career, though still 55 behind Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson.

However, Clark is widely considered one of the greatest women's college basketball players of all time. She became the NCAA's all-time leading scorer earlier this year, amassing 3,951 points in her four years. She also led Iowa to back-to-back national championship games, though the Hawkeyes came up short both times.

Clark recently signed a reported $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, which will include her own signature shoe. Her jersey sold out within an hour after she was drafted by the Indiana Fever.

Despite Clark's impressive resume, DeJean believes he has the skills to beat her in a one-on-one game.

"I'm a pretty good athlete," DeJean said. "I can shoot it. I can handle it. I can defend. I think I'd give her a run for her money."

Whether or not DeJean can actually beat Clark in basketball remains to be seen. But his confidence is certainly admirable, and it will be interesting to see if he ever gets the opportunity to put his skills to the test against the WNBA star.

DeJean's prediction has drawn a lot of attention on social media, with many people questioning whether he is serious or joking.

Some people believe that DeJean is underestimating Clark's abilities, while others think he may have a chance to beat her.

It is important to note that DeJean is a football player, not a basketball player. He has not played competitive basketball since high school.

Clark, on the other hand, is one of the most decorated women's basketball players in NCAA history. She is a two-time national player of the year and has led Iowa to two national championship games.

If DeJean and Clark ever do play one-on-one, it would be a fascinating matchup. It would be a battle of two elite athletes from different sports.

The outcome of the game would likely depend on a number of factors, including DeJean's ability to adjust to the different rules of basketball and Clark's ability to handle DeJean's physicality.

* Regardless of who wins, it would be a great opportunity for two talented athletes to compete against each other and showcase their skills.